Posters

Intracorneal ring segments implanted in eyes with keratoconus using femto-laser technology: early experience review

Poster Details

First Author: C.Moraru ROMANIA

Co Author(s):    O. Moraru                    

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To present the efficacy, predictibility and safety of FemtoLaser technology used to create the corneal tunnel(s) needed for implanting Intra-Corneal Ring Segments (ICRS) - the Keraring type - in eyes with keratoconus unsuitable for any optical correction of the irregular astigmatism.

Setting:

Oculus Eye Clinic - Bucharest, Romania

Methods:

This prospective study consists of our first 15 eyes with keratoconus, in which we used the femtolaser technology to create the tunnels needed to implant  ICRS, following the surgery protocol provided by the Keraring producer according to the preoperative patients’ corneal topography and aberrometry. In all cases we created the corneal tunnels with Ziemer Z8 FemtoLaser, at a depth and in the position recommended by the Keraring protocols. We followed the preoperative and 6 months’ postoperative uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity (VA), anterior segment OCT, topography and aberrometry data and complication rate, in order to asses surgery efficacy and safety.

Results:

All eyes experienced an increase of both uncorrected and corrected VA and improved parameters and stability of the postoperative topographies and aberrometries. The anterior segment OCT showed stable and correct position of ICRS in the cornea. According to the surgical protocols, some eyes needed one segment, some needed two, of different lengths and thickness. In all cases, the implantation of ICRS was fast and easy, with no intraoperative or postoperative complication related to the FemtoLaser tunnels; there was only one intraoperative complication related to the manipulation of one segment, outside the eye. No postoperative complications occured during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

Intra-Corneal Ring Segments represent an option to improve visual acuity in eyes with keratoconus which aren’t suitable neither for optical correction, nor yet for corneal transplant. Before the FemtoLaser era, the manual creation of the corneal tunnels was prone to lack of accuracy and intraoperative difficulties or complications and, moreover, postoperative, the segments showed sometimes less stability in place. The FemtoLaser technology brings more accuracy, predictibility and safety to the procedure, more confidence for the surgeon and good functional results  for the patients.

Financial Disclosure:

None