THERAPEUTIC CUSTOMIZED SURFACE EXCIMER LASER ABLATION TO MANAGE SEVERE CONTACT LENS- RELATED INFECTIOUS KERATITIS-ASSOCIATED CORNEAL SCARRING
Published 2026 - 30th ESCRS Winter Meeting
Reference: FP06.03 | Type: Free Paper | DOI: 10.82333/71mc-mp85
Authors: Anastasios John Kanellopoulos 1 , Costas H. Karabatsas* 2 , Despoina Karadimou 2 , Alexander John Kanellopoulos 2
1Ophthalmology,Laservision ASU,Athens,Greece;Ophthalmology,NYU Med School,New York,United States, 2Ophthalmology,Laservision ASU,Athens,Greece
Purpose
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of therapeutic custom surface excimer ablations designed to address corneal scars from infections related to contact lens use.
Setting
The Laservision Clinical and Research Institute, Athens, Greece
Methods
7 cases of CLR corneal scarring, due to infection, were treated with a surface excimer laser transepithelial ablation in order to remove the scar tissue and normalize the refractive power of the cornea, using a topography-guided customization platform (Alcon/Wavelight, Erlagen, Germany)
Results
At 3 months postoperatively, significantly improved corneal transparency was noted in all cases, CDVA improved from a mean of 20/50 to 20/30. UDVA changed from 20/200 to 20/40. A keratoplasty procedure was avoided in all cases.
Conclusion
Customized excimer laser ablations can offer significant therapeutic improvement in vision in challenging cases of eyes with CLR corneal scars due to previous infection. They may be considered as an alternative to lamellar and or penetrating keratoplasty.