Visual Outcome after Implantation of Intracorneal Ring Segments for Pellucid Marginal Degeneration

Purpose: to assess the results of intracorneal ring (icr) segments for treatment of patients with pellucid marginal degeneration (pmd)methods: in this prospective interventional case series study, eight eyes of 5 patients with pmd who were contact lens intolerant received one or two intacs (intacs, addition technology) segments. preoperative and postoperative evaluations included slit-lamp examination, uncorrected visual acuity (ucva) and best corrected visual acuity (bcva) and keratometry by pentacam scheimpflug camera (oculas opticigerate gmbh). patients were followed for 3 months and all parameters were reviewed at the end of follow-up time.results: three months postoperatively, ucva significantly improved from preoperative values after intacs implantation (mean 1.07¡ó0.27 [sd] and 0.5¡ó0.27 respectively). the bcva also improved from preoperative state compared to 3 months after surgery (mean 0.40„b31 and 0.18„b0.17 respectively). the bcva was 5/10 or more in all 8 eyes. spherical equivalent (se) and refractive cylinder decreased significantly compared to preoperative values (mean -9.40„b4.98 to -6.53„b5.00 and mean -6.93„b3.79 to -3.06„b2.07 respectively). topographic cylinder decreased postoperatively, but this decrement was not statistically significant (mean -5.42„b3.47 [sd] to -5.08„b3.20).conclusion: in our series of patients, icr implantation proved to be a safe and effective method for correction of pmd and improving the vision in these patients.