Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate corneal biomechanical changes in Fuchs’ Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD) after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK).
Methods: :
The study was conducted at Duke University as a retrospective chart review. Sixty one eyes with FECD were analyzed. Control eyes did not undergo surgical interventions. Cases were FECD eyes that underwent DSEK. Conditions or procedures that could affect corneal biomechanical measurements were excluded. Main outcome measures were taken with the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA; Reichert; Depew, NY): corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldman correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg) and compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc).
Results: :
Control FECD eyes had average CRF, CH, IOPg, and IOPcc values of 8.09+/-0.59 (all units in mmHg, average+/-95% confidence interval), 7.72+/-0.63, 15.35+/-1.12 and 18.76+/-1.26 respectively. Eyes with FECD which underwent DSEK had statistically increased values of CRF (8.97+/-0.57, p=0.03). CH (8.59+/-0.63, p=0.06), IOPg (15.87+/-2.03, p=0.66) and IOPcc (18.28+/-2.18, p=0.71) were not significantly increased after DSEK.
Conclusions: :
Eyes with FECD that underwent DSEK had statistically increased CRF (11%) but not CH. Corneal resistance factor did not reach normal corneal values post endothelial keratoplasty.
Keywords: cornea: endothelium • cornea: clinical science