Graft Thickness at 6 Months Postoperatively Predicts Long-Term Visual Acuity Outcomes of Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty for Fuchs Dystrophy and Moderate Phakic Bullous Keratopathy: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: It remains unclear whether preoperative central graft thickness (CGT) contributes to visual outcomes of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). This retrospective cohort study examined the ability of preoperative and postoperative CGT to predict 12-month best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) after DSAEK for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy/moderate pseudophakic bullous keratopathy/second graft. METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent DSAEK in 2015 to 2018 were included. The primary end point was 12-month BSCVA. DSAEK-CGT was measured preoperatively and 6 times between postoperative day 8 and month 12. Eyes were divided according to preoperative CGT 130 µm (ultrathin-DSAEK threshold) or 6-month postoperative CGT 100 µm (mean 6-month postoperative DSAEK-CGT). The t test assessed CGT evolution of the 4 groups over time. Multivariate analyses examined whether preoperative CGT or 6-month CGT categories predicted 12-month BSCVA. Multivariate analysis assessed the preoperative/perioperative factors that predicted 6-month CGT. RESULTS: A total of 108 eyes (68 patients) underwent DSAEK. Preoperative CGT was >130 and ≤130 µm in 87 and 21 eyes, respectively. Postoperative CGT was >100 and ≤100 µm in 50 and 58 eyes, respectively. Thin 6-month postoperative grafts thinned significantly more relative to preoperative thickness than thick grafts ( P < 0.001). Preoperative CGT subgroups did not show this difference. Six-month postoperative CGT ( P = 0.01), but not preoperative CGT, predicted 12-month BSCVA. Preoperative CGT strongly predicted 6-month CGT ( P = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative, but not preoperative, DSAEK-CGT predicted 6-month BSCVA. The correlation between preoperative and postoperative CGT and interstudy variation in preoperative CGT measurement accuracy may explain literature disparities regarding the importance of preoperative CGT in DSAEK outcomes.