A Case of Cataract Surgery in an Epikeratophakia Patient

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report a case of cataract surgery in an epikeratophakia patient. CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old female with a history of epikeratophakic surgery 20 years ago complained of decreased visual acuity of both eyes for several months. She had nucleosclerotic and posterior subcapsular types of cataracts. Phacoemulsification and posterior capsule intraocular lens implantation were performed in both eyes. During surgery, corneal edema was especially prominent at the cornea with epikeratophakic lenticules in both eyes. In the left eye, severe corneal edema after one day of surgery was observed; however, after one week, corneal edema had subsided and visual acuity of both eyes had improved. CONCLUSIONS: When it necessary that cataract surgery is performed in patients with epikeratophakic lenticules, it is important to anticipate the corneal edema intraoperatively and postoperatively. Moreover, the surgeon should consider the acute calculation of the target refraction of intraocular lens in an epikeratophakia patient.