Visual and Anatomic Results After Sole Full-Thickness Sutures for Acute Corneal Hydrops.

PURPOSE

To determine whether sole full-thickness corneal sutures are a feasible treatment for acute corneal hydrops, and if so, report the anatomic and visual results of this technique.

METHODS

A retrospective case series was carried out in 17 patients, all of whom received sole full-thickness sutures as a treatment for corneal hydrops.

RESULTS

The included patients reported symptom commencement a median of 15 days before the surgical intervention. The patients' median preoperative corneal pachymetry was 1235 μm, whereas 1 month after the surgery, the median corneal thickness was 830 μm, and after 3 months, it was 502 μm (P < 0001). Preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 1.40 LogMAR and a final postsurgical BCVA of 1.00 LogMAR after 3 months of the follow-up (P < 0001). Deep neovascularization was present in 3 patients (17.6%); none of the patients developed cataract formations or pupillary blocks.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the improvement of the corneal pachymetry and the BCVA, sole full-thickness sutures seem to be a feasible surgical option to treat severe acute corneal hydrops.