Clinical Results of Graft Rejection after Unilateral and Bilateral Keratoplasty in Keratoconus

ABSTRACT

Penetrating keratoplasty was performed on 72 eyes with keratoconus (60 patients) including 12 bilateral cases. We analyzed the difference of unilateral and bilateral grafts about incidence of graft rejection, age and sex dlstribution, and visual acuity change after keratoplasty. In 48 unilatferal grafts, graft rejection was developed in ll eyes (22.9%). in 12 bilateral grafts, there was graft rejection in 3 eyes (25%) of first eyes and 4 eyes (33.3%) of second eyes. The statlstical analysis showed no signifiant difference between the groups (P>0.05). The rejectlOn tlme of 16 eyes (88.8%) was within the first postoperative year. The mean interval between grafts performed on the first and second eyes was 8.8 months. When the interval was Within 1 year, 7 cases of graft rejectlon was developed. In 65 out of 72 grafts (90.3%), the best corrected visual acuity was 0.4 or better. In 18 eyes with graft rejection episode. 15 (83.3%) achieved 0.4 or better.