Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Small Incision Sutureless Intrastronnal Lamellar Keratoplasty (SILK) for Corneal Transplantation in Keratoconus

PURPOSE: To describe a femtosecond laser-assisted small incision sutureless intrastromal lamellar keratoplasty in an eye with severe keratoconus and report on the outcome with a 1-year follow-up. METHODS: A 20-year-old man with a history of keratoconus presented for evaluation at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Kathmandu, Nepal. The patient had previously undergone a deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in the left eye. Examination of the right eye revealed an uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of counting fingers with a manifest refraction of -5.00 -3.50 x 170, giving a corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 20/80. Thinnest pachymetry was 425 pm and progression of both anterior and posterior corneal elevation tomography and maximum keratometry was noted compared to examination 2 years prior. The VisuMax femtosecond Laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany) was used to prepare the donor and recipient cornea. The donor graft was inserted into the recipient through the 3-mm small incision. No sutures were applied. RESULTS: At 2 weeks postoperatively, UDVA was 20/50 with a manifest refraction of -1.00 -5.00 x 145 (20/32). One year postoperatively, UDVA was 20/80 with a manifest refraction of -2.50 -3.50 x 125 (20/40(-2)), with the maximum keratometry decreasing from 64.08 to 56.74 diopters. CONCLUSIONS: This femtosecond laser-assisted sutureless intrastromal corneal transplantation technique may provide an option to improve the quality of vision for some patients with keratoconus, affording a simpler postoperative follow-up course compared to traditional anterior lamellar or full-thickness corneal transplantation.