Femtosecond-Assisted Mushroom Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe our technique for performing femtosecond laser (FSL)-assisted mushroom configuration in deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). METHODS: We describe our surgical technique for a mushroom-configuration DALK using a femtosecond laser (FSL) both to prepare the graft and to perform a precut of the recipient cornea, as well as the steps for the dissection of the recipient cornea and for donor cornea implantation. Moreover, we show the parameters of energy and spot separation and the external and internal diameters as well as the thickness of the external and internal keratotomy. RESULTS: We performed a retrospective case series study of 20 patients with a mean follow-up of 4.36 ± 2.54 years. The indication for surgery was leukoma in 15 cases (75%), keratoconus in 4 cases (20%), and stromal corneal dystrophy in 1 case (5%). Four cases had to be converted to penetrating keratoplasty. The overall results were as follows: The mean preoperative corrected distance visual acuity increased from 0.11 ± 0.09 (0.01-0.30) to 0.78 ± 0.22 (0.30-1.0) with spectacles and to 0.92 ± 0.13 (0.5-1.0) with a gas permeable contact lens. The mean final cylinder was 3.90 ± 1.86 (1.25-7.0). The mean endothelial cell count at 6 months was 2033.83 ± 570.53 cells/mm2 (930-3207), and the mean final spherical equivalent was -4.67 ± 2.91 (-0.25 to -9.00). CONCLUSIONS: FSL-assisted technology is useful to achieve a predictable and safe procedure when using mushroom configuration to perform DALK. Our conversion rate from DALK to penetrating keratoplasty was similar to or even lower than that reported in the literature. In the successful DALK cases, the visual and refractive results were similar to those reported in other studies using FSL-assisted DALK (with a standard or mushroom configuration).

Surgical correction of corneal opacity and aniridia with penetrating keratoplasty and a new iris prosthesis implant.

PURPOSE: This study is to describe the clinical outcome of penetrating keratoplasty combined with implantation of a novel intraocular lens with an artificial iris, aided by continuous vitreous chamber infusion, in patients with severe aniridia and corneal alterations. METHODS: This was a prospective single-center case series study involving five patients with corneal alterations and aniridia. All subjects underwent simultaneous penetrating keratoplasty and implantation of a new intraocular lens with an artificial iris with the assistance of infusion into the vitreous chamber to regulate intraocular pressure during the surgical procedure. Visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell density, and intraocular pressure assessments were performed in the postoperative period. The final cosmetic outcome of the iris prosthesis placement was also evaluated. RESULTS: In all cases, increased visual acuity and a good aesthetic result were observed in all affected eyes except one in which, despite the excellent aesthetic outcome, the eye was very hypotonic as it had high myopia and had undergone several previous surgeries. CONCLUSION: The single surgical procedure combining implantation of an intraocular lens-iris prosthesis with penetrating keratoplasty is an effective technique for the simultaneous treatment of aphakia and aniridia. However, larger series with longer-term follow-up are needed to definitively establish the benefits of this technique.

Comparison Between the Wavefront-Optimized and Custom-Q Aspheric Ablation Profiles in Myopic Eyes With Two Different Q-targets: A Contralateral Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To compare two aspheric ablation profiles in myopic refractive surgery using different asphericity targets. METHODS: Patients underwent laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with the WaveLight EX500 laser platform (Alcon, WaveLight Laser Technologie). Asymmetric surgery was performed, programming the wavefront-optimized (WFO) ablation profile in one eye and the custom-Q (CQ) profile in the contralateral eye. The patients were divided into two groups following a systematic randomization method. The Q-target programmed for the preoperative Q group was equal to the preoperative asphericity of the CQ profile, and for the -0.6 Q-target group, the Q-target was set to -0.6. RESULTS: The study included 100 patients (200 eyes). Both groups had comparable safety and efficacy indexes greater than 1. A similar oblate shift in postoperative asphericity was seen in both groups regardless of the ablation profile and programmed Q-target. Asphericity was 0.33 ± 0.34 and 0.35 ± 0.29 (P = .18) in the preoperative Q group and 0.26 ± 0.28 and 0.26 ± 0.27 (P = .89) in the -0.6 Q-target group for WFO and CQ, respectively. A lower spherical aberration was found with CQ compared to WFO when the Q-target was set to -0.6: 0.211 ± 0.121 versus 0.144 ± 0.114 (P < .01). However, no statistically significant differences were found when the preoperative Q-target was used. CONCLUSIONS: WFO and CQ treatments are similar in terms of refractive and visual outcomes. CQ offers greater control over the increase in positive spherical aberration after myopic refractive surgery, but it does not represent an advantage over WFO in the oblate shift in postoperative asphericity regardless of the Q-target programmed. [J Refract Surg. 2022;38(11):698-707.].

Early patient-reported outcomes of cataract surgery with implantation of the trifocal liberty 677MY intraocular lens: A pilot study.

PURPOSE: To report our first clinical and patient-reported outcomes in the early postoperative period with a new model of trifocal diffractive intraocular lens (IOL). METHODS: Pilot prospective analysis of the results of 26 eyes of 13 patients (age, 44-79 years) undergoing cataract surgery with implantation of the trifocal diffractive IOL Liberty 677MY (Medicontur Medical Engineering Ltd., Zsámbék, Hungary). The following clinical outcomes were evaluated during the first postoperative month: measurement of distance, intermediate and near visual acuity, binocular defocus curve, and level of spectacle independence, patient satisfaction, perception of photic phenomena, and difficulty in performing several vision-related daily tasks by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean binocular LogMAR uncorrected distance, intermediate and near visual acuities were -0.03 ± 0.13, 0.21 ± 0.16, and 0.16 ± 0.09, respectively. Furthermore, 100.0%, 84.6% and 92.3% of patients achieved a binocular corrected distance, distance-corrected intermediate and distance-corrected near visual acuity of 20/32 or better, respectively. In the defocus curve, visual acuities were better than 0.2 logMAR for defocus levels between +1.00 and -3.00 D. Spectacle independence was referred by all patients, with any of them reporting dissatisfaction with the outcome of the surgery. The postoperative vision did not lead to difficulties in the daily life in 92.3% of patients. Bothersome halos, glare or starbursts were only reported by only 7.7% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The trifocal IOL evaluated provides a successful visual rehabilitation with minimal photic phenomena associated, leading to high levels of spectacle independence and patient satisfaction.