Manual deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty offers positive outcomes for myopia patients post-RK

Manual deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (mDALK) is a safe and effective surgical option for patients who have previously undergone radial keratotomy (RK) for myopia, according to a study.

The study analyzed 13 eyes from 11 patients, with a focus on manual dissection success, the need for conversion to penetrating keratoplasty (PK), and key visual outcomes such as postoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and astigmatism. Preoperative mean topographic astigmatism was 5.4 D, and CDVA was 0.47 logMAR (about 20/50 Snellen).

Results showed that all cases were successfully treated with mDALK, without conversion to PK. There was significant improvement in both topographic astigmatism (2.8 D) and CDVA (0.23 logMAR) at a 12-month follow-up.

Reference
Aiello F, Pocobelli G, Iovieno A, et al. Clinical Outcomes of Modified Manual Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty for Eyes with Previous Radial Keratotomy. J Clin Med. 2024 Sep;13(17):5250. doi: 10.3390/jcm13175250. PMID: 39274462; PMCID: PMC11395999.