[Two cases of Terrien's marginal degeneration treated with peripheral full thickness keratectomy, and followed-up by computer-assisted corneal topography]. / Die postoperativen hornhauttopographischen Charakteristika der Terrienschen Krankheit.

BACKGROUND: In 1970 Alberth and Süveges published a method, peripheral full thickness keratectomy, for the treatment of Terrien's marginal degeneration of the cornea. They hypothesized that this type of surgery acts by excising the thinned and extended corneal parts and by restoring normal corneal surface and curvature. METHOD: The right eyes of two patients with Terrien's disease were operated with full thickness keratectomy at our Department, and were followed-up by computer-assisted computer topography. RESULTS: The corneal surface became more regular, astigmatism smaller and fully correctable, visual acuity improved, and the results did not change between 1 and 3 years after surgery in either of the two cases. CONCLUSION: Peripheral full thickness keratectomy, in our experience, proved effective in reducing astigmatism, in improving visual acuity, and in stopping the progression of the disease. Corneal topography can be used in the diagnosis of Terrien's disease, as well as in the postoperative follow-up of patients, giving more information than simple keratometry.