Corneal Guttae After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to report on the occurrence of corneal guttae after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). METHODS: In this retrospective case series, 13 eyes of 13 patients who underwent DMEK at 2 tertiary referral centers between 2007 and 2021 (average available follow-up 73 ± 52 months, range 18-174 months) and showed corneal guttae during postoperative examinations were included. Eye bank images were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Occurrence of guttae was observed by specular microscopy in 13 eyes. In 11 cases, presence of guttae was confirmed by confocal microscopy and in 1 case by histology. Five eyes showed an increase in guttae density during the postoperative course. Surgery indications were Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (n = 11), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (n = 1), and DMEK graft failure after allograft rejection (n = 1); the latter eye had shown no signs of guttae after primary DMEK. Two eyes with guttae required a repeat DMEK due to graft failure. At the last available follow-up, all 11 remaining eyes had clear corneas and 10 eyes had a best-corrected visual acuity of ≥0.9 (decimal). During donor cornea processing in the eye bank, no guttae were observed on the donor tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal guttae can occur after DMEK including in eyes operated for indications other than Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy and most likely guttae were present on the donor graft but were not detectable by routine slit-lamp and light microscopy evaluation in the eye bank. Postoperative guttae density varies among patients and especially small isolated guttae do not seem to affect clinical outcomes.

Quality of vision and vision-related quality of life after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To compare quality of vision and vision-related quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) or ultrathin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). METHODS: Fifty-four eyes of 54 patients with Fuchs' dystrophy from six corneal clinics in the Netherlands were randomized to DMEK or ultrathin DSAEK and examined preoperatively, and 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Main outcome measures were corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs), contrast sensitivity, straylight and vision-related QOL. RESULTS: Posterior corneal HOAs decreased after DMEK and increased after ultrathin DSAEK (p ≤ 0.001) 3 months after surgery and correlated positively with best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (12 months: r = 0.29, p = 0.04). Anterior and total corneal HOAs did not differ significantly between both techniques at any time point. Contrast sensitivity was better (p = 0.01), and straylight was lower (p = 0.01) 3 months after DMEK compared with ultrathin DSAEK; 95% confidence interval [CI] of log(cs) 1.10-1.35 versus 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.12, and 95% CI: log(s) 1.18 to 1.43 versus 95% CI: 1.41 to 1.66, respectively. Both were comparable at later time points. Vision-related QOL (scale 0-100) did not differ significantly between both groups at any time point and improved significantly at 3 months (ß = 12 [95% CI: 7 to 16]; p < 0.001), and subsequently between 3 and 12 months (ß = 5 [95% CI: 0 to 9]; p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) results in lower posterior corneal HOAs compared with ultrathin DSAEK. Contrast sensitivity and straylight recover faster after DMEK but reach similar levels with both techniques at 1 year. Vision-related QOL improved significantly after surgery, but did not differ between both techniques.

Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty versus Ultrathin Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: To compare best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell density (ECD), refractive astigmatism, and complications after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) and ultrathin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (UT-DSAEK). DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four pseudophakic eyes of 54 patients with corneal endothelial dysfunction resulting from Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy were enrolled in 6 corneal centers in The Netherlands. METHODS: Participants were allocated to DMEK (n = 29) or UT-DSAEK (n = 25) using minimization randomization based on preoperative BSCVA, recipient central corneal thickness, gender, age, and institution. Donor corneas were prestripped and precut for DMEK and UT-DSAEK, respectively. Six corneal surgeons participated in this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was BSCVA at 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: Central graft thickness of UT-DSAEK lamellae measured 101 µm (95% confidence interval [CI], 90-112 µm). Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity did not differ significantly between DMEK and UT-DSAEK groups at 3 months (0.15 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] [95% CI 0.08-0.22 logMAR] vs. 0.22 logMAR [95% CI 0.16-0.27 logMAR]; P = 0.15), 6 months (0.11 logMAR [95% CI 0.05-0.17 logMAR] vs. 0.16 logMAR [95% CI 0.12-0.21 logMAR]; P = 0.20), and 12 months (0.08 logMAR [95% CI 0.03-0.14 logMAR] vs. 0.15 logMAR [95% CI 0.10-0.19 logMAR]; P = 0.06). Twelve months after surgery, the percentage of eyes reaching 20/25 Snellen BSCVA was higher in DMEK compared with UT-DSAEK (66% vs. 33%; P = 0.02). Endothelial cell density did not differ significantly 12 months after DMEK and UT-DSAEK (1870 cells/mm2 [95% CI 1670-2069 cells/mm2] vs. 1612 cells/mm2 [95% CI 1326-1898 cells/mm2]; P = 0.12). Both techniques induced a mild hyperopic shift (12 months: +0.22 diopter [D; 95% CI -0.23 to 0.68 D] for DMEK vs. +0.58 D [95% CI 0.13-1.03 D] for UT-DSAEK; P = 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty and UT-DSAEK did not differ significantly in mean BSCVA, but the percentage of eyes achieving 20/25 Snellen vision was significantly higher with DMEK. Endothelial cell loss did not differ significantly between the treatment groups, and both techniques induced a minimal hyperopic shift.

Trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis of ultrathin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (UT-DSAEK) versus DSAEK.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ultrathin Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (UT-DSAEK) versus standard DSAEK. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis using data from a multicentre randomized clinical trial was performed. The time horizon was 12 months postoperatively. Sixty-four eyes of 64 patients with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy were included and randomized to UT-DSAEK (n = 33) or DSAEK (n = 31). Relevant resources from healthcare and societal perspectives were included in the cost analysis. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were determined using the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 questionnaire. The main outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER; incremental societal costs per QALY). RESULTS: Societal costs were €9431 (US$11 586) for UT-DSAEK and €9110 (US$11 192) for DSAEK. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were 0.74 in both groups. The ICER indicated inferiority of UT-DSAEK. The cost-effectiveness probability ranged from 37% to 42%, assuming the maximum acceptable ICER ranged from €2500-€80 000 (US$3071-US$98 280) per QALY. Additional analyses were performed omitting one UT-DSAEK patient who required a regraft [ICER €9057 (US$11 127) per QALY, cost-effectiveness probability: 44-62%] and correcting QALYs for an imbalance in baseline utilities [ICER €23 827 (US$29 271) per QALY, cost-effectiveness probability: 36-59%]. Furthermore, the ICER was €2101 (US$2581) per patient with clinical improvement in best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (≥0.2 logMAR) and €3274 (US$4022) per patient with clinical improvement in National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 composite score (≥10 points). CONCLUSION: The base case analysis favoured DSAEK, since costs of UT-DSAEK were higher while QALYs were comparable. However, additional analyses revealed no preference for UT-DSAEK or DSAEK. Further cost-effectiveness studies are required to reduce uncertainty.

[Ocular symptoms associated with dupilumab in atopic dermatitis]. / Oogklachten door dupilumab bij constitutioneel eczeem.

BACKGROUND: Dupilumab, the first registered biological for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, frequently causes adverse ocular events. These often take the form of mild conjunctivitis or blepharoconjunctivitis, however, more serious adverse ocular events have also been reported, including limbal stem cell insufficiency. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 56-year-old man was treated with dupilumab for severe atopic dermatitis. His eczema improved greatly, but he developed bilateral conjunctivitis with limbal stem cell insufficiency in his right eye. After discontinuation of dupilumab, the eye symptoms gradually disappeared. After three months no conjunctivitis or limbal stem cell insufficiency was observed on ophthalmological examination. CONCLUSION: Adverse ocular events are often seen in the treatment of atopic dermatitis with dupilumab. Caution is advised if severe adverse events occur. Therefore, it is important to identify the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of these adverse events.

A Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trial of Ultrathin Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK) versus DSAEK.

OBJECTIVE: To compare visual acuity, refraction, endothelial cell density (ECD), and complications after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and ultrathin DSAEK (UT-DSAEK). DESIGN: A multicenter, prospective, double-masked, randomized, controlled clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: From 66 patients with irreversible corneal endothelial dysfunction dues to Fuchs' dystrophy who enrolled from 4 tertiary medical centers in the Netherlands, 66 eyes were studied. METHODS: Participants were centrally randomized to undergo either UT-DSAEK or DSAEK, based on preoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), recipient central corneal thickness, patient age, and recruitment center. Donor corneas were precut by a single cornea bank. PARTICIPANTS: Participants underwent ophthalmic examinations preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months after the operation, including manifest refraction, BSCVA using an Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart, and endothelium imaging. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BSCVA 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Preoperative BSCVA did not differ between patients undergoing DSAEK (0.35 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.27-0.43]; n = 32) and UT-DSAEK (0.37 logMAR [95% CI 0.31-0.43]; n = 34; P = 0.8). BSCVA was significantly better after UT-DSAEK compared with that after DSAEK at 3 months (0.17 logMAR [95% CI 0.13-0.21], n = 31 vs. 0.28 logMAR [95% CI 0.23-0.33], n = 31; P = 0.001), 6 months (0.14 logMAR [95% CI 0.10-0.18], n = 30 vs. 0.24 logMAR [95% CI 0.20-0.28], n = 30; P = 0.002), and 12 months (0.13 logMAR [95% CI 0.09-0.17], n = 33 vs. 0.20 logMAR [95% CI 0.15-0.25], n = 29; P = 0.03). Refraction, ECD loss (40% at 3 months; P < 0.001), donor loss (DSAEK n = 2 vs. UT-DSAEK n = 3 [relative risk {RR} 1.4 {95% CI 0.24-7.5}; P = 0.7]), and graft dislocation (DSAEK n = 5 vs. UT-DSAEK n = 5 [RR 1.0 {95% CI 0.34-3.33}; P = 0.9]) did not differ between UT-DSAEK and DSAEK. Donor thickness was significantly thinner for UT-DSAEK (101 µm [95% CI 93-110 µm]; range 50-145 µm) than for DSAEK (209 µm [95% CI 196-222 µm]; range 147-289 µm; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that compared with DSAEK, UT-DSAEK results in faster and better recovery of BSCVA with similar refractive outcomes, endothelial cell loss, and incidence of complications.

Describing the corneal shape after wavefront-optimized photorefractive keratectomy.

PURPOSE: To develop a procedure for describing wavefront-optimized photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) corneas and to characterize PRK-induced changes in shape. METHODS: We analyzed preoperative and postoperative corneal elevation data of 41 eyes of 41 patients (mean [±SD] age, 38 [±11] years) who underwent a myopia-correcting (preoperative spherical equivalent refraction -3.9 [±1.5] diopters) wavefront-optimized PRK, assessed with Scheimpflug imaging. Zernike polynomials were fitted to the elevation data. The diameter of the greatest corneal zone that could be analyzed and the number of Zernike orders needed to make a reliable fit were determined, based on the fitting error. The PRK-induced changes in corneal shape were studied. RESULTS: All subjects could be included for analysis of zones up to 6 mm in diameter. This was 90, 83, and 44% for 7, 8, and 9 mm, respectively. The number of Zernike orders (terms) needed for an accurate fit ranged from four (15) for a 4-mm analyzed zone diameter to eight (45) for 8 mm. For the anterior surface, the spherical aberration term decreased significantly (p < 0.01) after PRK for the 4-mm analyzed zone diameter (-0.09 µm), remained unchanged for 5 mm (+0.01 µm; p = 0.56), and increased significantly for 6 mm (+0.40 µm) and above (p < 0.01). There was no significant change in any other higher-order Zernike term, but the square root of the sum of the squares of all higher-order terms increased significantly for all analyzed zone diameters. Photorefractive keratectomy did not influence the posterior corneal shape. CONCLUSIONS: The cornea after wavefront-optimized PRK can be described as accurately as a healthy cornea and with a similar number of Zernike polynomials. The anterior corneal shape changes significantly after treatment, whereas the posterior corneal shape remains unchanged. The observed effect of wavefront-optimized ablation on the spherical aberration term depends on the diameter of the analyzed zone.

A technique to excise the descemet membrane from a recipient cornea (descemetorhexis).

OBJECTIVE: To describe a technique for excision of the Descemet membrane (DM) from the recipient eye for preparation of a recipient stromal bed in posterior lamellar keratoplasty. METHODS: In 10 human eye bank eyes and 3 patients, recipient eyes had a 5.0-mm scleral tunnel incision made extending 1.0 mm into the peripheral cornea at the 12 o'clock surgical position. The anterior chamber was completely filled with air, and a reflective glide was placed through the incision onto the iris, to better visualize DM. A 9.0-mm mark was made onto the corneal epithelium to outline the area from which the Descemet membrane was to be removed. With a custom-made scraper, the DM was then carefully stripped off the posterior stroma by loosening the membrane at the 6 o'clock position and pulling it toward the incision at 12 o'clock. The excised DMs were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. RESULTS: In all recipient eyes, DM could be easily and completely removed from the posterior corneal stroma. Microscopy showed isolated DMs without stromal tissue elements. CONCLUSION: With the technique described, DM can be excised in a controlled fashion without damaging the posterior corneal stroma, to quickly create a recipient stromal bed before implantation of a donor posterior lamellar disk in posterior lamellar keratoplasty.

Effect of methods of myopia correction on visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and depth of focus.

PURPOSE: To psychophysically measure spherical and irregular aberrations in patients with various types of myopia correction. SETTING: Laboratory of Experimental Ophthalmology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. METHODS: Three groups of patients with low myopia correction (spectacles, soft contact lens, and Intacs) and 4 groups with high myopia correction (spectacles, rigid contact lens, Artisan claw lens, and laser in situ keratomileusis [LASIK]) had through-focus contrast sensitivity measurements to establish the myopic shift and depth of focus. From these 2 parameters, spherical and irregular aberrations were determined using theoretical eye models and geometric optics. Visual acuity, stray light, and predictability were also studied. RESULTS: There were no differences in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) or best corrected contrast sensitivity between the low myopia groups. The Intacs group had a significantly larger depth of focus (P<.05). The results in the soft contact lens group were comparable to those in a human eye model with an average amount of spherical and irregular aberrations. The LASIK group had worse uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best corrected contrast sensitivity than the spectacles, rigid contact lens, and Artisan claw lens groups (P<.05) due to the amount of spherical and irregular aberrations present after LASIK. The low and high myopia spectacles groups had average amounts of spherical and irregular aberrations. CONCLUSIONS: Neither surgical techniques nor contact lenses resulted in BCVA or best corrected contrast sensitivity that surpassed the values measured in the best corrected spectacles groups. The Artisan claw lens performed better than LASIK in UCVA, predictability, and best corrected contrast sensitivity.