Comparison of Corneal Tissue Profile of Pseudophakic and Phakic Donors.

PURPOSE: To compare the endothelial quality of corneas obtained from pseudophakic donors with age-matched phakic controls. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 100 corneas each from pseudophakic and phakic eyes with donor age ≥60 years in both the groups was performed. The endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation, and percentage of hexagonal cells obtained by specular microscopy were compared between the two groups. The cut-off level of endothelial cell density (ECD) taken for optical keratoplasty was 2,000 cells/mm2. RESULTS: The male and female donors constituted 60% (n=120) and 40% (n=80), respectively. The mean age of the donors was 66.9±7.3 years in the phakic group and 69.9±7.7 years in pseudophakic group. The mean ECD in the phakic group was 2757.6±328.5 cells/mm2 and that in the pseudophakic group was 2225.5±471.9 cells/mm2 (P<0.0001). The mean coefficient of variation in the phakic group was 37.1±5.0 and that in the pseudophakic group was 38.6±11.1 (P=0.234). The mean percentage of hexagonality in the phakic group and the pseudophakic group was 52.0±6.4% and 51.2±7.2%, respectively (P=0.414). Both in univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis, age of the donor was found to be negatively associated in predicting ECD (P=0.002 and P=0.003, respectively). Sixty-nine and thirty-three corneas from the phakic and pseudophakic donor pool were used respectively. CONCLUSION: Difference in ECD between the phakic and the pseudophakic donor group was found to be statistically significant. The ECD in the pseudophakic group was found to be above the cut-off limit required for keratoplasty. Hence, pseudophakic corneas may also be used for transplantation.

Allogeneic simple limbal epithelial transplantation: an appropriate treatment for bilateral stem cell deficiency.

A 39-year-old man presented with both eyes limbal stem cell deficiency status post chemical injury. He was managed initially with topical medications to subside the ocular surface inflammation. Over the course of subsequent visits, the fibrovascular pannus over the cornea gradually progressed, leading to further diminution of vision in left eye more than right eye. Since, the ocular surface was wet, the patient committed for lifelong immunosuppression and his brother consented to donate healthy limbal tissue; he underwent living-related allogeneic simple limbal epithelial transplantation in the left eye.

Prevalence of spheroidal degeneration of cornea and its association with other eye diseases in tribes of Western Rajasthan.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of spheroidal degeneration of cornea (SDC) and its association with other eye diseases in the tribes of South-West Rajasthan. METHODS: A total of 5012 patients were examined on slit lamp for the diagnosis of SDC. Diagnosis of SDC was made based on presence of amber granules in the superficial stroma of peripheral interpalpebral cornea with increasing opacification, coalescence and central spread or nodular and hazy surrounding stroma and divided in three stages. RESULTS: The prevalence of SDC was 10.7%. Around 55% of the total of 535 cases examined were found to have Stage I followed by Stage II (32%) and Stage III (13%). The prevalence is greatest in both men and women over 70 years of age. The severity of SDC is greater in men. SDC was significantly associated with pterygium and pseudocapsular exfoliation. CONCLUSION: Extreme temperature, low humidity, dust, high wind, and microtrauma caused by sand particles are the probable etiologies for higher prevalence of this kind of degeneration in this region.