Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy And Dmek: How Surgery Alters Corneal Biomechanical Properties And Densitometry
Published 2025 - 43rd Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: PP25.06 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/74aq-h585
Authors: Clare ODonnell* 1 , Nabila Jones 2 , Amir Hamid 3
1Eye Sciences,Optegra,Manchester,United Kingdom;Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,University of Manchester,Manchester,United Kingdom, 2Eye Sciences,Optegra Eye Health Care,Manchester,United Kingdom, 3Eye Sciences,Optegra Eye Health Care,Manchester,United Kingdom;Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,University of Manchester,Manchester,United Kingdom
Purpose
To compare corneal biomechanical and tomographic parameters in patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED) who underwent Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery, non-surgical FED eyes, and healthy controls using Pentacam AXL and Corvis ST devices.
Setting
University of Health Sciences, Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Methods
This retrospective study compared corneal biomechanical and tomographic parameters in post-DMEK FED eyes, non-surgical (fellow eye) FED eyes, and healthy control eyes using Pentacam AXL and Corvis ST. Three groups were analyzed: 20 eyes post-DMEK (min.6 months after surgery) (Group 1), 20 non-surgical FED eyes (Group 2), and 20 healthy control eyes (Group 3). Parameters included Corneal Densitometry (CD), Corvis Biomechanical Index (CBI), Tomographic Biomechanical Index (TBI), Deformation Amplitude (DA), Radius at the Highest Concavity (RHC), Peak Distance at the Highest Concavity (PD), and Pachymetry.
Results
The median age of the patients with FED was 64 (46-80) years and 62 (50-72) years in the healthy control group. The median duration of the patient's eyes after DMEK was 16 (6-36) months. Significant differences were observed in CBI (ANOVA, p=0.024), with notable contrasts between Group 3 and Group 1 (two group comparison, p=0.019). TBI was similar between Group 1 and Group 2 whereas significantly lower in Group 3 (ANOVA, p<0.01). CD was also lower in Group 3 in comparison to Group 1 or Group 2 (ANOVA, p<0.01). In contrast, no significant differences were found in Pachymetry (p=0.077), DA (p=0.485), PD (p=0.979), or RHC (p=0.131). No correlation was observed in the analyses between TBI and CD in DMEK eyes (p: 0.978, r: -0.007).
Conclusions
This study shows that FED significantly affects corneal biomechanics compared with healthy eyes. However, DMEK surgery does not seem to have any adjusting effect on corneal biomechanical parameters or corneal densitometry in FED patients.