CORNEAL DENSITOMETRY CHANGES AFTER CAIRS TREATMENT
Published 2026 - 30th ESCRS Winter Meeting
Reference: FP05.13 | Type: Free Paper | DOI: 10.82333/2khp-6329
Authors: Fatma Feyza Nur Keskin Perk* 1 , Metin Suleymanzade 2 , Cafer Tanrıverdi 3 , Burcu Yakut 4 , Uğur Tunç 5 , Dilan Çolak 6 , Sepide Lotfi 2 , Aylin Kılıç 2
1Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital,İstanbul,Türkiye, 2Biruni University,İstanbul,Türkiye, 3World Eye Hospital,İstanbul,Türkiye, 4Haseki trainning and research hospital,İstanbul,Türkiye, 5Medipol University,İstanbul,Türkiye, 6Beyoglu eye trainning and research hospital,İstanbul,Türkiye
Purpose
To evaluate the change in corneal densitometry after corneal allogeneic intrastromal ring segment (CAIRS) implantation in keratoconus patients
Setting
Swiss Vision Clinic, İstanbul, Türkiye
Methods
This retrospective study included 129 eyes of 111 keratoconus patients who underwent CAIRS implantation. The Pentacam HR corneal tomography device (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Germany) was used to scan the corneal densitometry data of patients at the following times: preoperatively and at 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Densitometry measurements were taken from the anterior 120-micron layer, the central layer, the posterior 60-micron layer, and the total cornea at the central 2-mm radius and the surrounding 2–6-mm radius areas. Changes during the follow-up period were investigated with the Friedman test. Significant differences in measurements were compared between paired visits using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results
The mean follow-up period was 14.85 ± 11.83 (6 - 57) months. There was no significant difference in the central 2 mm radius area of the cornea in any layer during follow-up. In the 2-6 mm radius area, there was an increase in corneal densitometry in all layers compared to the preoperative period. No haze or inflammation was noted in any patient during the follow-up period.
Conclusion
The increase in densitometry in the peripheral area is expected, as this is the area where full-thickness corneal ring implantation was performed. This study shows that the implantation of CAIRS does not lead to an increase in central corneal densitometry, which is a potential sign of rejection or inflammation.