Intrastromal lamellar keratoplasty in patients with pellucid marginal degeneration.

Unlabelled: We describe a new method (intrastromal lamellar keratoplasty) to treat patients with pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD). After a pocket is created along the marked margins of the thinned inferior cornea with Melles dissectors, a crescent of the same size is marked on the donor cornea. The epithelial and endothelial layers are removed, and the donor tissue is cut in a crescentic shape in the size of the marked corneal pocket. The donor crescentic stroma is then inserted into the stromal pocket. The technique was performed in 10 eyes of 10 patients with PMD. The uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuities had significantly improved after 6 months. The cylinder was significantly reduced after 1 month and this was maintained up to 3 months of follow-up. Intrastromal lamellar keratoplasty appeared to be effective in the treatment of PMD.

Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.