Belgian Endothelial Surgical Transplant of the Cornea (BEST cornea) protocol: clinical and patient-reported outcomes of Ultra-Thin Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (UT-DSAEK) versus Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) - a multicentric, randomised, parallel group pragmatic trial in corneal endothelial decompensation.

Objectives: Corneal blindness is the third most frequent cause of blindness globally. Damage to the corneal endothelium is a leading indication for corneal transplantation, which is typically performed by lamellar endothelial keratoplasty. There are two conventional surgical techniques: Ultra-Thin Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (UT-DSAEK) and Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK).

[Holoclar®, an autologous stem cells graft for sight recovery after ocular burns].

Ocular chemical or physical burns currently represent 12 % of domestic accidents in Europe. They can lead to numerous ophthalmologic sequelae ranging from simple superficial keratitis to conjunctival ischemia and the destruction of limbal corneal stem cells. This results in damages to the cornea which can progress to neovascularization and corneal invasion by conjunctival tissue.

[Peripheral ulcerative keratitis].

Peripheral ulcerative keratitis (PUK) is a disorder of the juxtalimbal cornea characterised by a crescent-shape destructive inflammation of corneal stroma. PUK can be associated with various ocular and systemic infectious and non infectious diseases. Different systemic autoimmune vasculitis that can prove potentially fatal may present as PUK.

[Ophthalmologic signs in a KBG syndrome, a rare genetic disease].

KBG syndrome, named after the initials of the first 3 families reported, is a rare genetic syndrome caused by a deletion or a mutation of ANKRD11 (ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein 11) gene. Its prevalence is probably underestimated because of a variable expressivity; moreover, most of its clinical characteristics are not specific. There is no consensus about its diagnostic criteria.

[Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis: a tooth to regain sight].

As the leading cause of blindness in the world, corneal diseases are second only to cataracts. However, the epidemiology of corneal disease is complex and includes a wide variety of infectious and inflammatory eye diseases (trachoma), immune sequelae (cicatricial pemphigoid on Lyell's disease) of after trauma (chemical burn). The general treatment for severe corneal disease is the corneal transplantation with penetrating keratoplasty.