Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eye (Lond) 2022 May 20. Epub 2022 May 20.

Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Road, London, EC1V 2PD, UK.

Purpose: To compare Kaplan-Meier survival curves and funnel plots for the audit of surgeon-specific corneal transplantation outcomes.

Methods: We obtained data on all patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED) receiving a first corneal transplant in one eye between January 2012 and December 2017. We produced 2-year Kaplan-Meier graft survival curves to compare a simulated individual surgeon's graft survival rate to national pooled data. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 May 19;12(1):8500. Epub 2022 May 19.

Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Sec. 2, ShihPai Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, 11217.

The availability of corneal donor tissue is limited in most developing countries. This study evaluated whether patients with coexisting cataract and Fuchs' dystrophy with corneal decompensation awaiting Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) benefited from phacoemulsification. This is a retrospective case-control study which included patients with Fuchs' dystrophy and evidence of corneal decompensation awaiting DMEK. Read More

Cornea 2021 Sep 27. Epub 2021 Sep 27.

Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to quantify cancer risk in patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: Using the 2014 to 2016 Medicare Limited 5% Data Sets-Carrier Line File, US Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (aged 65 years or older) with FECD and cancer were identified through International Classification of Diseases, ninth and 10th Revision diagnostic codes from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016. The main outcome measures were odds ratios (ORs) of cancer at various anatomic locations in patients with versus without FECD. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2022 May 17. Epub 2022 May 17.

Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Deutschland.

Traditionally, corneal endothelium is considered post-mitotic, which means that spontaneous regeneration after loss of endothelial cells (e.g., in the context of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy) is not expected. Read More

PLoS One 2022 12;17(5):e0267940. Epub 2022 May 12.

Ophthalmology Department, Mercy Hospital, Metz-Thionville Regional Hospital Center, Metz, France.

Previous comparative studies show that triple Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) (i.e. phacoemulsification followed immediately by DMEK) has either equivalent or better visual outcomes than DMEK in pseudophakic patients. Read More

Cornea 2022 Apr 21. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; and.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to compare outcomes of Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) in eyes with glaucoma and abnormal anatomy to eyes with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: In a retrospective interventional series of all cases of DSEK between April 1, 2006, and November 30, 2015, recipient diagnosis, preoperative glaucoma status, concurrent surgical procedures, and graft outcomes were recorded. Graft survival, risk of rejection, and subsequent glaucoma surgery were estimated by using Kaplan-Meier analysis with risk factors determined by proportional hazard models. Read More

Vestn Oftalmol 2022 ;138(2):81-86

Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Moscow, Russia.

The two most used modifications of endothelial keratoplasty (EK) are Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) and Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). The leading complication of EK surgeries is graft detachment in the early postoperative period. This article reports on two cases of endothelial graft adhesion depending on morphological characteristics of the Descemet's membrane (DM) removed during EK. Read More

Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022 Apr 29. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.

Widespread adoption of modern lamellar procedures has altered the pattern of practice of corneal transplantation. Herein, we describe recent findings from the Australian Corneal Graft Registry and place these data into an international context. The total number of grafts reported to the Registry has doubled over the past decade. Read More

PLoS One 2022 29;17(4):e0263686. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Institut Jean Lamour, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.

Purpose: This retrospective cohort study assessed the evolution of corneal transplantation and its indications in the last 21 years (2000-2020) in a specialized ophthalmology department in a tertiary referral center in France.

Methods: The surgical techniques and indications, patient age and sex, and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) 6 months after keratoplasty were extracted.

Results: In total, 1042 eyes underwent keratoplasty in 2000-2020. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2022 04 26;239(4):393-396. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Ophthalmology, Hôpitaux Universitaires Genève, Genève, Switzerland.

J Ophthalmol 2022 14;2022:3091695. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome 00133, Italy.

Purpose: To evaluate the global prevalence of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: A systematic electronic literature search was conducted on PubMed/MedLine, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, in order to select papers analysing the prevalence rate of FECD. Read More

Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022 Apr 3;15(4). Epub 2022 Apr 3.

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a bilateral, hereditary syndrome characterized by progressive irreversible injury in the corneal endothelium; it is the most frequent cause for corneal transplantation worldwide. Oxidative stress induces the apoptosis of corneal endothelial cells (CECs), and has a crucial function in FECD pathogenesis. The stimulation of the adenosine A receptor (A) inhibits oxidative stress, reduces inflammation and modulates apoptosis. Read More

Int Med Case Rep J 2022 14;15:201-204. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet-Glostrup, Glostrup, Denmark.

Purpose: We report a case of acute bilateral Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) rejection two weeks following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech), reflecting on possible changes to the management of patients with DMEK scheduled for COVID-19 vaccination.

Patients And Methods: A 94-year-old woman with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy who underwent DMEK 24 months earlier (right eye) and 20 months earlier (left eye) demonstrated bilateral graft rejection two weeks after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Standard treatment regimen was followed, and clinical status documented with slit-lamp examination and swept-source optical coherence tomography throughout. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2022 Apr 14. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Medizinische Fakultät, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland.

Patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy often develop visual symptoms between 50 - 60 years of age, which is the same time that the first symptoms of a developing cataract start to appear. On the other hand, in patients with a clinically significant cataract, corneal guttata may be detected by chance during a routine clinical workup. In both situations, the surgeon has to decide whether DMEK or cataract surgery should be performed alone or in combination. Read More

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2022 Apr 14. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Germany.

Background: Favorable functional outcomes have been reported after excimer laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (EXL PKP). But this technique has not been widely adopted, and there are reports on EXL PKP from only a very limited number of institutions. Some of these results refer to operations carried out with laser systems that are not commercially available. Read More

Clin Ophthalmol 2022 6;16:1055-1067. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Trefoil Therapeutics, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.

Purpose: To assess the incremental burden of corneal transplant surgery for US commercially insured patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) treated with endothelial keratoplasty (EK) compared to controls.

Methods: The study design was retrospective cohort using IBM MarketScan claims (January 2014-September 2019) and included EK-treated (N=1562) and control patients (N=23,485) having ≥12 months' enrollment before and after diagnosis, who were subsequently matched on select characteristics. The index date was the beginning of the pre-operative period (3 months before EK); synthetic EK index was assigned for controls. Read More

Ophthalmology 2022 Apr 8. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Mid Atlantic Cornea Consultants, Towson, MD.

Purpose: To assess risk factors for lack of improvement in visual acuity (VA) after endothelial keratoplasty (EK).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects: Patients aged 18 years and older in the IRIS Registry who underwent EK surgery in the United States between 2013 and 2018. Read More

Zhonghua Yan Ke Za Zhi 2022 Apr;58(4):293-297

The Ophthalmology Division of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.

A patient with chief complaint of bilateral progressive visual impairment was diagnosed with Fuchs corneal dystrophy (FECD) in both eyes, macular hole in the left eye, and intraocular lens eye in the right eye. After communication with the patient and his family, they agreed to receive Descemet's stripping without endothelial keratoplasty (DWEK) in the left eye. One year after the operation, the cornea of the left eye was transparent, and the central posterior elastic layer was missing about 4. Read More

Cornea 2022 Mar 31. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Price Vision Group, Indianapolis, IN.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate 15-year outcomes of Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed an initial, consecutive series of 350 DSEK cases in 290 patients (mean age 69 years), performed between December 2003 and December 2005 for Fuchs dystrophy (86%), pseudophakic/aphakic bullous keratopathy (10%), or failed penetrating keratoplasty (4%). Outcomes included best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), endothelial cell density (ECD), and graft failure (defined as regraft for any reason or persistent loss of stromal clarity). Read More

Cornea 2022 May;41(5):669-672

University Hospitals of Leicester, United Kingdom; and.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report 5 cases of acute corneal graft rejection after COVID-19 vaccination and perform a review of the literature.

Methods: This was a case series and review of literature dated on the October 10, 2021.

Results: We describe 5 cases-2 patients with Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy) who presented with acute corneal graft rejection after their first dose of mRNA (BNT162) vaccine. Read More

Cornea 2022 Mar 18. Epub 2022 Mar 18.

Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; and.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate 5-year safety and efficacy outcomes of femtosecond-enabled Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (F-DMEK) in patients with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (FED).

Methods: This was a retrospective study, including patients with FED and cataract who underwent either F-DMEK (16 eyes of 15 patients) or manual DMEK (M-DMEK) (42 eyes of 37 patients) combined with cataract extraction. Outcome measures included visual acuity, graft detachment, graft survival, and endothelial cell loss. Read More

Cornea 2022 Mar 18. Epub 2022 Mar 18.

Department of Ophthalmology, Ospedali Privati Forlì "Villa Igea", Forlì, Italy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report the 22-year clinical outcome of a patient who underwent endokeratoplasty.

Methods: To report the clinical outcomes of 37-year-old male who underwent endokeratoplasty for decompensated Fuchs endothelial dystrophy in 1998.

Results: After subsequent cataract surgery and iridoplasty, at 22 years post endokeratoplasty, the Snellen best spectacle-corrected visual acuity is 20/20 (-5. Read More

Cesk Slov Oftalmol 2022 ;78(1):20-23

Purpose: To evaluate the results of posterior lamellar keratoplasties (DMEK and PDEK) in phakic eyes.

Material And Methods: Retrospective analysis of surgeries performed in our department between June 2016 and December 2019. The main focus was put on postoperative visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell density and possible peroperative and postoperative complications including cataract formation. Read More

JAMA Ophthalmol 2022 03 17;140(3):e215688. Epub 2022 Mar 17.

Guangdong Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China.

Eye (Lond) 2022 Mar 15. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

Department of Ophthalmology, The Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK.

Aim: To describe the changes in corneal graft thickness following ultrathin Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (UT-DSAEK) comparing pre- and postoperative values over a 24-month period.

Methods: In this retrospective single-center case series, patients who received eye bank-prepared tissues for UT-DSAEK surgery were included. Preoperative and postoperative graft thickness measurements were determined in the eye bank and in clinic using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) images. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2022 Mar 11;239:142-153. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China (J-H.Q, R-M.P, G-G.X, S-F.G, H-K.W, J.H); Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China (J-H.Q, R-M.P, G-G.X, S-F.G, H-K.W, J.H). Electronic address:

Purpose: To develop a fully automated segmentation and morphometric parameter estimation system for assessing corneal endothelial cells from in vivo confocal microscopy images.

Design: Artificial intelligence (neural network) study.

Methods: First, a fully automated deep learning system for assessing corneal endothelial cells was developed using the development set (from 99 subjects). Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2022 Mar 12. Epub 2022 Mar 12.

St. Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital (S.B.K., V.R.), Liverpool, UK; Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool (S.B.K., V.R.), Liverpool, UK; Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, Ophthalmology Clinic, University of Brescia (V.R.), Brescia, Italy; Instituto Universitario Fernandez-Vega, Universidad de Oviedo, and Fundacion de Investigacion on Oftalmologica (V.R.), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. Electronic address:

Purpose: To evaluate factors affecting the outcomes of preloaded Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (pl-DMEK) with endothelium-inward.

Design: Retrospective clinical case series and a comparative tissue preparation study.

Methods: Participants: Fifty-five donor tissues for ex vivo study and 147 eyes of 147 patients indicated with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy or pseudophakic bullous keratopathy with or without cataract. Read More

Eur J Ophthalmol 2022 Mar 11:11206721221085853. Epub 2022 Mar 11.

Department of Ophthalmology, 27968Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga UNAB, Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Donor to host transmission of infectious agents is a well-recognized entity, more commonly related to Endothelial Keratoplasty (EK) than to Penetrating Keratoplasty (PK), that involves complications ranging from interface keratitis to endophthalmitis. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the published articles until December 2020 reporting cases of endophthalmitis secondary to corneal graft contamination in posterior lamellar keratoplasties (DSAEK and DMEK) along with donor characteristics, microbiological profile, treatment and outcomes. Each identified article was assessed to meet donor to host infection criteria, defined as a post-procedural infection in which the same microbiological agent was identified in both the donor corneoscleral rim or preservation medium and receptor ocular tissue. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2022 4;9:810536. Epub 2022 Feb 4.

Cornea Center and Eye Bank, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.

Aims: To identify donor-related risk factors associated with graft endothelial failure and postoperative endothelial cell density (ECD) reduction after Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study conducted from July 2006-December 2016. We included 584 consecutive eyes (482 patients) that underwent DSAEK for the treatment of laser iridotomy-related bullous keratopathy (192 eyes), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (137 eyes), regraft (96 eyes), Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD; 59 eyes) and others (100 eyes). Read More

Cornea 2022 Mar 4. Epub 2022 Mar 4.

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; and Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of patient positioning on intraocular pressure (IOP) after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in pseudophakic patients treated for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy.

Methods: Forty patients were included in this prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial. Patients received a YAG iridotomy 1 day before surgery and an 80% anterior chamber tamponade [20% concentration of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)]. Read More