Dr.Madhuri Venigalla
AIM : To assess the socioeconomic impact of penetrating Keratoplasty on patients from lower socioeconomic strata.
MATERIALS & METHODS : Retrospective analysis of patients from lower socioeconomic strata who underwent Optical Penetrating Keratoplasty from 2013 till 2017.
RESULTS : 95 patients were analyzed,G raft survival at 1 year was 63% and only 17.8% patients achieved visual acuity of 20/40 of which,47% improved atleast 2 lines.33.6% had an irregular followup.Each patient spent approximately Rs.400 per visit and with an average of 8 visits per year,spent an average Rs.3200 annually on travel alone!
CONCLUSIONS : With 41% of these patients having a visual acuity of 20/40 or better in the contralateral eye,we need to re-evaluate our indications for corneal transplantation in these patients.
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