This is an image of a resuture of a stromal transplant for keratoconus. Note the interrupted sutures in the inferior cornea. Why would this zone need resuturing, many years after successful transplantation for keratoconus with minimal postoperative cylinder?
BECAUSE THE PATIENT CONTINUED TO RUB, AND MOST RUBBING COMPRESSES THE INFERIOR CORNEA
What this means is that the Graft-host junction is stretched, causing flattening vertically. The beauty of stromal transplantation is that it can be resutured with easy and close to zero risk. I have done this more than 10 years after the initial surgery.
I warn the patient that if they rub their eyes again, they must consider handcuffs (behind the back of course, which might work for some) because, the only other option is amputation!
Keratoconus is not the only disease that happens from eye rubbing….Blepharoptosis also results from eye rubbing. Interestingly, he was treated with collagen cross linking for the GOOD eye “just in case it got worse”. No one ever told him to stop rubbing his eyes!
We will undertake a stromal transplant to correct the vision in the left eye.
More information available at www.cornealtransplant.com.au
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