Changes in keratoconic corneas after intracorneal ring segment explantation and reimplantation

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome and potential reversibility of the changes induced in keratoconic eyes after intracorneal ring segment explantation. Design: Retrospective, interventional case series. Participants: Five eyes of 4 patients who underwent uneventful implantation of one or two intracorneal ring segment segments for the correction of clear corneal keratoconus and who required explantation of one segment due to complications. Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity, refraction, keratometric readings, and corneal topography. The follow-up was up to 1 year from the primary implantation procedure in all cases. Results: Explantation was performed easily in all cases without intraoperative or postoperative complications. The segments were extracted due to migration and local melting. The visual, refractive, and topographic map findings regressed to approximate the original clinical situation before segment implantation. Conclusions: Intracorneal ring segments are safely and easily explanted from keratoconic eyes. Most of the visual, refractive, and topographic findings return to near the preimplantation levels. (C) 2004 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.