Amniotic Membrane Graft In Syntomathic Bullous Keratopathy

The amniotic membrane (AM) is an avascular structure derived from fetus, which is a good choice for regenerative medicine and effective treatment in eye surface pathologies such as bullous keratopathy (BK). This disease generates a chronic corneal edema evolving to the production of vesicles and bullae, chronic eye pain and visual acuity decrease. Definitive treatment for those patients is corneal transplant; however, donation is not always available and thus requires long waiting times. The currently available palliative treatment consists in the use of contact lenses to prevent the corneal epithelium from falling. However, this may be associated with corneal neovascularization, lens displacement or loss, infections, and discomfort for the patient. The objective of this work was to compare the use of amniotic membrane grafts versus contact lenses in patients suffering from BK awaiting a corneal transplant. A randomized clinical trial assay was performed with patients with a clinical diagnosis of BK. Twenty patients were randomized into 2 groups: amniotic membrane and therapeutic contact lenses. Eye pain intensity (Analog visual scale), visual acuity (Snellen questioner), bullae and corneal epithelial defects presence, as well as corneal neovascularization and complications (biomicroscopy) were compared during 6 months.