Corneal Densitometry After Uneventful Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty—5-Year Outcomes

Abstract

Purpose:The purpose of this study is to analyze the course of corneal densitometry (CD), endothelial cell density (ECD), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and central corneal thickness (CCT) 5 years after uneventful Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).Methods:Sixty uneventful cases (51 patients) with a minimum follow-up of 5 years were included. CD of various corneal layers (anterior, central, posterior, and total layer) and zones (0–2 mm, 2–6 mm, and 6–10 mm) were measured with Scheimpflug tomography. ECD, BCVA, and CCT were also evaluated.Results:Total CD at 0 to 2 mm and 2 to 6 mm zones significantly decreased from 33 ± 10 and 27.8 ± 8 grayscale units (GSU) preoperatively to 21.8 ± 3.1 and 22.2 ± 4.2 GSU at 5 years, respectively (P < 0.001). On the contrary, total CD at the 6 to 10 mm zone significantly increased from 30 ± 8.3 GSU preoperatively to 34.6 ± 7.8 GSU at 5 years (P < 0.001). ECD significantly decreased from 2496 ± 267 cells/mm2 preoperatively to 1063 ± 470 cells/mm2 at 5 years (P < 0.001). Similarly, CCT significantly decreased from 686 ± 109 μm preoperatively to 557 ± 37 μm at 5 years (P < 0.001). Postoperative BCVA was significantly better after DMEK for every examination time point.Conclusions:Despite a slight CD increase at all layers of all corneal zones from the second to the fifth postoperative year, the excellent visual outcome was maintained throughout 5-year follow-up. Thus, DMEK seems to effectively treat corneal endothelial disease in the long term.

Corneal densitometry changes after femtosecond laser-assisted intracorneal ring segments implantation in keratoconus

“…The mean total anterior, central, and posterior CD differed significantly among the time points, with a significant increase from the preoperative to the 1-month and 3-month postoperative visits and no significant difference from the 1-month to the 3-month postoperative visit. Concerning central (0–2-mm annulus), paracentral (2–6-mm annulus), mid-peripheral (6–10-mm annulus) [ 25 ] , and peripheral (10–12-mm annulus) [ 26 ] zones, CD for the anterior layer in the central, paracentral, and mid-peripheral zones and for the central layer in all four zones differed significantly among time points, with a significant increase from the preoperative to the 1-month and 3-month postoperative visits, and no change from the 1-month to the 3-month postoperative visit, except for the central 2–6-mm zone, in which CD decreased significantly from the 1-month to the 3-month postoperative visit, and the central 10–12-mm zone, in which CD did not differ significantly in each pairwise comparison. In contrast, CD for the posterior layer in the paracentral zone decreased significantly from the preoperative to the 1-month and 3-month postoperative visits but increased significantly, to a lesser extent, from the 1-month to the 3-month postoperative visit.…”