The results of penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus

At the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, keratoconus is the most common indication for penetrating keratoplasty. We studied 77 keratoplasties performed on keratoconic eyes between 1989-1991. Postoperative corrected visual acuity was better than or equal to 0.5 in 65 eyes (84.4%), and 30 eyes (39%) had visual acuity of 1.0. The mean postoperative astigmatism was 3.75 D with a range of 0-12.5 D. Eight patients underwent relaxing incision with satisfactory results in 6 patients. Graft rejection was observed in 6 eyes (7.8%). The most serious complication seen in our group of patients was a retrocorneal fibrous membrane that developed in one patient.