Keratoplasty for keratomalacia in preschool children

AIM: To study the results of surgical management of keratomalacia in children. METHODS: A clinical case series of all children with keratomalacia, admitted to an Indian centre during the period from June 2000 to June 2001 is presented. The parameters evaluated were demographic data, systemic associations, and results of medical and surgical intervention. RESULTS: 29 children with keratomalacia ranging from 2 months to 5 years of age (mean 1.8 (SD 1.4) years) were included in the study. All children belonged to families of lower socioeconomic status. 27 patients (93.1%) had not been immunised at all. The systemic diseases precipitating the onset of keratomalacia included measles (41.37%), pneumonia (31.03%), and acute diarrhoea (37.93%). 36 eyes (66.7%) had total corneal melting and 11 (20.3%) eyes had paracentral corneal melting. In 15 eyes (27.8%) an emergency tectonic penetrating keratoplasty was performed of which only five grafts (33.3%) remained clear at a mean follow up of 7.3 (6.8) months (range 3-24 months). Seven eyes underwent optical penetrating keratoplasty, of which four grafts (57.14%) remained clear at a mean follow up of 6.4 (3.6) months (range 3-12 months). None of these could achieve a visual acuity better than 6/60. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal grafting surgery in keratomalacia is associated with poor visual outcome.