Femto-Cairs For Keratoconus: Early Clinical Outcomes

To evaluate the visual and topographic outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted corneal allogeneic intrastromal ring segments (Femto-CAIRS) in patients with keratoconus.

This prospective study was conducted at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital on patients diagnosed with keratoconus. All Femto-CAIRS procedures were performed using Alcon Wavelight femtosecond laser technology.

This prospective study included 10 eyes of 9 patients (four male, five female) diagnosed with keratoconus and treated with Femto-CAIRS at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital. Donor corneas were prepared using a double-bladed trephine to create allogeneic intrastromal ring segments, which were implanted into mid-stromal channels created with a femtosecond laser at a 4.8-mm optical zone. Preoperative and postoperative assessments included visual acuity, refractive error, and corneal topographic parameters. The follow-up period was three months.

The mean age of the patients was 27.1 ± 5.9 years. At one month postoperatively, the manifest refraction spherical equivalent improved significantly from -6.29 ± 2.89 D to -2.68 ± 3.61 D (p = 0.049). Uncorrected visual acuity improved from 0.91 ± 0.50 logMAR to 0.40 ± 0.24 logMAR (p < 0.01), while best-corrected visual acuity increased from 0.52 ± 0.33 logMAR to 0.15 ± 0.26 logMAR (p < 0.01). Mean keratometry decreased from 48.8 ± 3.41 D preoperatively to 46.7 ± 3.73 D postoperatively (p < 0.01).

Femto-CAIRS demonstrated significant improvements in visual acuity and corneal topography in patients with keratoconus. The procedure is safe, reproducible, and offers a high degree of customization to address individual corneal profiles. These findings suggest that Femto-CAIRS is a promising treatment for early to moderate keratoconus. However, larger studies with extended follow-ups are warranted to assess long-term efficacy and stability.