Purpose: To present our experience with a series of patients treated with deep lamellar keratoplasty (DLK) for keratoconus (KC).
Design: A single surgeon, prospective, consecutive series.
Method: The study included all patients with KC who underwent DLK between March 1999 and November 2003 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The parameters evaluated included patients' demographics, pre- and post-operative best corrected visual acuities, post-operative keratometry, and intra- and post-operative complications.
Results: There were 22 patients (23 eyes); 10 females and 12 males, with a mean age of 35 +/- 13 years (median, 33.5; range, 17-73). The median follow-up period was 13 months (range 7-38). In 89% (16/18) of eyes which underwent DLK, and in which a visual acuity could be obtained, a best corrected visual acuity of at least 6/12 was recorded. There were two episodes of Descemet's membrane perforation (8.7%), in which the procedure was converted to penetrating keratoplasty without complications. One patient developed a double anterior chamber, which resolved spontaneously without consequences.
Conclusion: The visual outcomes and complication rates seen in our series are comparable to the recent published literature. Hence DLK can be considered as a suitable alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for the surgical treatment of KC.