Two-year corneal endothelial cell assessment following INTACS implantation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the 2-year effects of intrastromal corneal ring segments (INTACS) on the corneal endothelium. METHODS: Non-contact specular microscopy was performed as a subgroup test in a Phase III clinical trial. Endothelial cell images were collected before surgery and at 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery at the central and peripheral (6 and 10 o'clock) regions. Images were recorded and analyzed later by a central reading center. Cell density, coefficient of variation, and percent hexagonal cells were determined. RESULTS: There were no clinically significant changes in the endothelial cell structure at 6, 12, and 24 months (102 eyes). There was a gain of 5 cells/mm2 (6 months) and 3 cells/mm2 (12 months) at the central region of the cornea and a loss of 28 cells/mm2 at 24 months. At the 6 o'clock region of the cornea, there was a loss of 0, 24, and 92 cells/mm2 at 6, 12, and 24 months. At the 10 o'clock region of the cornea, there was a loss of 14, 30, and 94 cells/mm2 at 6, 12, and 24 months. INTACS did not statistically affect the central cell density at 6 and 12 months, however, there was a slight loss centrally at 24 months. At 24 months, all corneal regions had a slight decrease in cell density. In all eyes, mean central and peripheral endothelial cell counts remained above 2495 cells/mm2. Coefficient of variation improved and percent hexagonal cells remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: Endothelial cell density changes at 2 years after INTACS implantation were not clinically significant and endothelial cell remodeling was present.

Effects of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on the corneal endothelium 3 years postoperatively.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on the corneal endothelium 3 years postoperatively. METHODS: Patients who were subjects of a previous prospective study (Am J Ophthalmol 125:465-471, (April) 1998) were contacted for a follow-up analysis of the central corneal endothelium. Noncontact specular microscopy was performed 35 to 37 months after LASIK on 52 eyes of 27 patients of the original cohort of 98 eyes of 65 patients and six eyes of three patients who were previously lost to follow-up after their initial post-LASIK evaluation. Patient age ranged from 29 to 66 years at the time of the original LASIK procedure. Attempted corrections ranged from 2.25 to 14.5 diopters of myopia, giving theoretical ablation depths of 182 to 332 microm below the corneal surface. Forty-eight eyes (83%) had a history of preoperative contact lens use (3 to 33 years). Central endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation of cell size, and percent of hexagonal cells were analyzed using 72 to 152 cells from each image. Multivariate analysis was used to search for factors that might predict changes in cell density, coefficient of variation, and percent of hexagonal cells. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD preoperative cell density was 2,498 +/- 354 cells per mm(2), the mean coefficient of variation was 0.36 +/- 0.07, and the percent of hexagonal cells was 58 +/- 6. Three years after surgery there was no statistically significant change in the mean endothelial cell density (2,489 +/- 335 cells per mm(2); P = 0.88, paired t test) or the percent of hexagonal cells (60 +/- 7; P = 0.14, paired t test). The mean coefficient of variation was significantly lower postoperatively (0.32 +/- 0.04; P = 0.0006, paired t test); a repeated measures analysis showed that this significant improvement could not be explained by cessation of contact lens wear after LASIK (P = 0.34). Multivariate analysis did not identify any factors that were predictive of change in cell density, coefficient of variation, and percent of hexagonal cells. CONCLUSIONS: Laser in situ keratomileusis for the correction of 2.25 to 14.5 diopters of myopia had no significant effect on central corneal endothelial cell density or the percent of hexagonal cells 3 years after surgery. The coefficient of variation of cell size improved significantly 3 years after surgery.

Effects of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on the corneal endothelium.

PURPOSE: To assess the effects of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on the corneal endothelium. METHODS: In a prospective study, the corneal endothelium of 98 eyes of 65 consecutive patients (mean age, 41 years; range, 22 to 66 years) was photographed before, 2 weeks after, and 12 weeks after LASIK for the correction of 2.75 to 14.5 diopters of myopia. Theoretical ablation depths were 200 to 330 microm below the corneal surface. Cell density, coefficient of variation, and percent of hexagonal cells were determined using 150 to 200 cells from each image. Eighty-eight eyes (91%) of 59 patients had a history of contact lens wear. RESULTS: The mean+/-SD preoperative endothelial cell density was 2,549+/-365 cells per mm2, and the mean coefficient of variation was 0.35+/-0.06. There was no statistically significant change in the mean endothelial cell density or mean coefficient of variation of cell size at the 2-week (2,561+/-360 cells per mm2 and 0.35+/-0.06) or 12-week (2,541+/-364 cells per mm2 and 0.35+/-0.05) postoperative examinations. The percent of hexagonal cells was not significantly changed 2 weeks postoperatively; however, 12 weeks postoperatively (P=.0413, two-tailed t test), the percent of hexagonal cells was decreased by 1%. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology were unchanged 2 and 12 weeks after LASIK for the correction of up to 14.5 diopters of myopia. In this LASIK study, the correction of up to 14.5 diopters of myopia appears to cause no clinically significant effect on corneal endothelial cell density or morphology.