Automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty (ALTK) in the treatment of anterior to mid-stromal corneal pathologies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty (ALTK) in the treatment of anterior to mid-stromal corneal pathologies. METHODS: A prospective clinical study was undertaken in 15 eyes of 15 patients who underwent ALTK using the ALTK System (Moria/Microtek Inc., Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA). The parameters evaluated were uncorrected and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), keratometry, pachymetry, contrast sensitivity, glare acuity, intraoperative surgical time and complications, postoperative time to epithelialization, graft clarity and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The mean surgical time was 46 +/- 9 mins. The BCVA, contrast sensitivity and glare acuity significantly improved at 6 months postoperatively. The mean decimal BCVA was 0.08 +/- 0.03 preoperatively, which improved to 0.33 +/- 0.30 at 6 months, when 11 eyes had BCVA > or = 6/18. The median epithelialization time was 3 days (range 1-10 days). CONCLUSIONS: Automated lamellar therapeutic keratoplasty appears to be safe and effective for diseases affecting the anterior to mid-stroma of the cornea.