Penetrating keratoplasty and cataract extraction: combined vs nonsimultaneous surgery.

In the presence of corneal opacification associated with a cataract, the surgeon is left with two alternatives: a penetrating keratoplasty followed months later by extraction of the cataract or a combined procedure. The results of 16 nonsimultaneous procedures and 22 combined operations were compared with each other. The visual prognosis and incidence of complications were similar in the combined and nonsimultaneous procedures.