An alternative surgical procedure for the management of keratoglobus.

PURPOSE

To describe an alternative surgical technique in stabilizing peripheral corneal thinning in keratoglobus corneas with severe ectasia.

METHODS

A 27-year-old man with keratoglobus and severe corneal ectasia in his remaining functional eye was managed by surgically placing an allograft corneoscleral ring around the limbus to support the mid-peripheral thinned cornea. Nylon 10-0 interrupted sutures were used only at the limbus. The allograft corneoscleral ring had an outer diameter of 14.5 mm and an inner opening of 7.0 mm. Conjunctiva was draped over and sutured to the donor corneoscleral ring graft.

RESULTS

Cornea and vision are stable at 18 months' follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The peripheral suturing of a corneoscleral ring graft over the periphery of the cornea maybe an acceptable technique for providing tectonic tissue support and stabilizing eyes with keratoglobus.