Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty for Congenital Aniridia: An Interesting and Challenging Story

Abstract

Congenital aniridia is a rare condition affecting a wide range of ocular structures, from the ocular surface to the retina. We present the case of a 59-year-old woman with PAX6- and WT1-negative congenital aniridia who developed aniridia-associated keratopathy and progressive endothelial dysfunction with corneal decompensation after cataract surgery. The patient underwent successful ultrathin Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty. Despite the challenges faced with an unstable iridolenticular diaphragm, we were pleasantly surprised to see improvement not only of corneal edema and endothelial function but also of the whole cornea, including anterior corneal anatomy and appearance. In conclusion, endothelial transplantation in a patient with aniridia resulted in improvement of all the corneal structures from the endothelium to the stroma, epithelium, and possibly even the ocular surface.