The Comparison of Clinical Outcomes between the Triple Procedure and Sequential Procedure in Patients with Corneal Opacity and Cataract

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare the differences of clinical results between the triple procedure and the sequential procedure in penetrating keratoplasty and cataract patients. METHODS: Forty-six patients who had undergone a penetrating keratoplasty and cataract extraction simultaneously or sequentially between January 1998 and January 2004 were investigated retrospectively. The uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity, spherical equivalent refractive error, average absolute refractive error, corneal endothelial cell counts, average survival period and survival rate were compared between the two groups. RESULTS Seven of 25 eyes (28%) in the sequential procedure group and 3 of 23 eyes (13%) in the triple procedure group had 0.2 or better uncorrected visual acuity (p=0.04). The average absolute refractive error was 3.61+/-2.00 D in the triple procedure group and 2.35+/-1.83 D in the sequential group (p=0.03). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in best corrected visual acuity, spherical equivalent refractive error, endothelial cell count, average survival period, or survival rate at final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The sequential procedure provides better uncorrected visual acuity and less refractive error. No significant difference was observed in average survival period or survival rate between the triple procedure group and sequential group.