Biological, rather then purely technical approach seems to be very essential to ensure better results in alloplasty of the cornea. The diseased corneal tissue (especially, after corneal burns) usually fails to accept a keratoprosthesis permanently. The cornea must, therefore, be biologically reconstructed by transplantation of autogenous tissue. Autogenous fascia lata, periosteum, sclera and auricular cartilage have been tried in the present work to surve the purpose. Autogenous sclera and cartilage proved to be best materials, the latter having an important advantage of being easily obtainable. Experimental studies (including hystological control) proved the method of "Chondrokeratoplasty" to be well founded. During the past four years the method has been used on the eyes of 18 patients with most severe corneal lesions unmanageable by the usual graft technique. The Keratoprosthesis must be buried under the cartilage disk until the adequate nutrition is developed and full vitality of the graft is achieved. Only then the cartilage disk is trephined in its centre and the optical part of the keratoprosthesis is exposed. Technically, the procedure is much simpler as compared to the procedure of odonto-keratoprosthesis by strampelly. The results seem to be highly encouraging. So far there was no extrusion after chondrokeratoprosthesis procedure.

Adult↗

PubMed1975

Laser-phakopuncture in the treatment of soft cataracts.

A new method of treating soft cataracts by laser irradiation is described ("laser-phakopuncture"). Rupture of the lens capsule can be produced by a strong laser pulse focused on the anterior surface of the lens. This is followed by gradual reabsorption of the lens substance (in much the same manner as with a conventional discission procedure). Pigment deposits on the capsule are usually necessary to ensure sufficient absorption of light energy at the target point. The laser beam can also be employed in a preliminary procedure to produce such pigmented spots, and to prepare the eye for a subsequent laser-phakopuncture. The method was first investigated experimentally on animal eyes. The so-called Q-switched lasers proved to be most effective in producing a tear in the capsule. It was then tried clinically in nine juvenile patients and reabsorption of the lens substance was the eventual result in all cases, although full visual acuity was achieved in only tow of them. These of lasers offers a completely new approach to the treatment of cataract without surgery.

Adult↗

PubMed1974