Comparison of optical aberrations in keratoconus with scleral versus rigid gas permeable lenses.

Purpose: to assess optical aberrations under scleral (SL) versus rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses in patients with keratoconus.

Methods: A prospective study including 25 eyes of 14 patients. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with corrective glasses, RGP and SL, stage of keratoconus (Amsler-Krumeich classification), minimum pachymetry, maximum keratometry, and corneal higher-order aberrations (i.

Efficacy, Safety, and Outcomes following Accelerated and Iontophoresis Corneal Crosslinking in Progressive Keratoconus.

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of accelerated (A-CXL) and iontophoresis (I-CXL) corneal crosslinking in a large retrospective cohort with progressive keratoconus.

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included consecutive patients treated by A-CXL (9 mW/5.4 J/cm) or I-CXL with a minimal follow-up of 12 months.

Asymmetric Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segments with Progressive Base Width and Thickness for Keratoconus: Evaluation of Efficacy and Analysis of Epithelial Remodeling.

The aim of this study is to describe visual outcomes and epithelial remodeling following the implantation of asymmetric intracorneal ring segments (ICRSs) of variable thickness and base width for the management of duck-type keratoconus. A prospective observational study of patients with duck-type keratoconus was conducted. All patients received one ICRS AJL PRO + implant (AJL Ophthalmic).

Full-field Optical Coherence Microscopy for Histology-like Analysis of Stromal Features in Corneal Grafts.

The quality of donor corneal stroma, which makes up about 90% of total corneal thickness, is likely to be one of the main, if not the major, limiting factor(s) for success of deep anterior lamellar and penetrating keratoplasty. These are surgical procedures that involve replacing part or all of the diseased corneal layers, respectively, by donated tissue, the graft, taken from a recently deceased individual. However, means to evaluate stromal quality of corneal grafts in eye banks are limited and lack the capability of high-resolution quantitative assessment of disease indicators.

Comparative Study of Asymmetric Versus Non-asymmetric Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segments for the Management of Keratoconus.

Purpose: To compare the outcomes obtained with models of asymmetric and non-asymmetric intracorneal ring segments (ICRS) in keratoconic eyes with asymmetric topo-graphic patterns.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, ICRS were implanted alternately in patients with the same tomographic patterns of keratoconus assigned to four groups. Patients with the "duck" phenotype received one asymmetric or non-asymmetric ICRS and patients with the "snowman" pheno-type received two asymmetric or non-asymmetric ICRS.

Postoperative Corneal Epithelial Remodeling After Intracorneal Ring Segment Procedures for Keratoconus: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Purpose: To assess epithelial corneal remodeling by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) after intracorneal ring segments (ICRS) implantation in keratoconic eyes.

Methods: This prospective observational study included patients with keratoconus receiving ICRS of different arc lengths according to their tomographic pattern. AS-OCT and corneal topography (Scheimpflug camera) were performed before and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery.

Long-Term Results and Refractive Error After Cataract Surgery With a Scleral Incision in Eyes With Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty.

Purpose: Phacoemulsification in eyes with deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) is associated with possible decreased graft survival and difficult IOL power calculation. We assessed cataract surgery in eyes with previous DALK.

Methods: Thirty-three consecutive eyes with DALK and further phacoemulsification with scleral incision were included in this retrospective study.

Corneal stromal stem cells restore transparency after N injury in mice.

Corneal scarring associated with various corneal conditions is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that corneal stromal stem cells have a therapeutic effect and are able to restore the extracellular matrix organization and corneal transparency in vivo. We first developed a mouse model of corneal stromal scar induced by liquid nitrogen (N ) application.

Long-Term Results of Cultured Limbal Stem Cell Versus Limbal Tissue Transplantation in Stage III Limbal Deficiency.

We aimed to evaluate efficiency and safety of transplantation of limbal stem cells (LSC) cultured on human amniotic membrane with no feeders and to compare cultured LSC with limbal tissue transplantation. Thirty eyes with stage III LSC deficiency were treated with autologous (autoLSC) or allogeneic (alloLSC) cultured LSC transplantation (prospective phase II clinical trial; average follow-up time, 72 months) or autologous (autoLT) or allogeneic (alloLT) limbal tissue transplantation (retrospective control group; average follow-up time, 132 months) between 1993 and 2014. The 5-year graft survival defined by absence of recurrence of the clinical signs of limbal deficiency was 71% for autoLSC, 0% for alloLSC, 75% for autoLT, and 33% for alloLT.

Stromal striae: a new insight into corneal physiology and mechanics.

We uncover the significance of a previously unappreciated structural feature in corneal stroma, important to its biomechanics. Vogt striae are a known clinical indicator of keratoconus, and consist of dark, vertical lines crossing the corneal depth. However we detected stromal striae in most corneas, not only keratoconus.

New parameters in assessment of human donor corneal stroma.

Purpose: To provide quantitative parameters for assessment of human donor corneal stroma by imaging stromal features of diseased and normal human corneas with full-field optical coherence microscopy (FFOCM), using confocal microscopy (CM) and histology as reference techniques.

Methods: Bowman's layer (BL) thickness and keratocyte density were assessed ex vivo in 23 human donor corneas and 27 human pathological corneas (keratoconus and other corneal disorders) with FFOCM, CM and histology. Stromal backscattering was assessed with FFOCM.

Imaging Microscopic Features of Keratoconic Corneal Morphology.

Purpose: To search for gold-standard histology indicators using alternative imaging modalities in keratoconic corneas.

Methods: Prospective observational case-control study. Fourteen keratoconic corneas and 20 normal corneas (10 in vivo healthy subjects and 10 ex vivo donor corneas) were examined.

Corneal radius of curvature after anterior lamellar versus penetrating keratoplasty.

Background: Keratoplasty may induce major spherical refractive error related to abnormal corneal radius of curvature (CRC).

Methods: Two hundred and thirty-eight consecutive eyes of 238 patients with clear graft and at least one postoperative Orbscan examination performed after suture removal (average follow-up time, 86 months) were retrospectively analyzed. Anterior lamellar keratoplasties (ALK group, n = 119) and penetrating keratoplasties (PK group, n = 119) were matched for preoperative diagnosis and lens status.