Posters

Long-term follow-up of intracorneal ring segment implantation in patients with progressive keratoconus

Poster Details

First Author: A.Vega Estrada SPAIN

Co Author(s):    J. Alio   A. Plaza-Puche   P. Peña        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To analyze if Intracorneal Ring Segment (ICRS) implantation is a stable surgical procedure in patients with progressive keratoconus

Setting:

Vissum Corporation, Alicante, Spain.

Methods:

A retrospective and non-randomized analysis of 40 evolutive keratoconic eyes of 32 patients, ranging in age from 19 to 30 years were evaluated. Patients were divided in two groups, one group of 18 progressive cases that underwent intracorneal ring segment implantation (ICRS) and another group of 22 progressive cases that did not underwent any surgical procedure. Visual, refractive, topographic and aberrometric variables were evaluated during a period of five years in order to assess stability of the results.

Results:

A worsening of the visual, refractive and topographic variables were observed preoperatively which confirm the progressive nature of the cases. Six months after ICRS implantation there was an improvement in the uncorrected and corrected visual acuity (p>0.05) and in all refractive and topographic variables (p<0.05). In spite of the improvement achieved immediately after the procedure, a worsening of all the visual and refractive variables were observed in the remaining follow up (p≥0.05). A regression of 3,36 D was found in the mean K when comparing the results of six months postoperativeley and the last visit at five years.

Conclusions:

ICRS implantation provides a significantly short-term improvement in visual, refractive and topographic parameters. Nevertheless, the significant regression observed at the end of the follow up period suggest that ICRS implantation is not a stable technique in young and keratoconic patients with the progressive form of the disease. FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE