Artsybashev Ophthalmology Clinic^®

Academician Dr. Artsybashev has successfully operated on all stages of keratoconus (I-IV) without any complications since 1986

Surgical Treatment of Keratoconus

Keratoconus (lat. Keratokonus) is a disease of the cornea in which it becomes very convex and thin, leading to numerous refractive abnormalities.

The diamond ophthalmic surgery technique developed by Academician Dr. Artsybashev has shown stable results after surgery for over 15 years. This method not only stops the progression of keratoconus, but also enhances visual acuity. Diamond ophthalmic surgery for keratoconus provides a redistribution of the intraocular pressure of the diseased tissue, bringing to partial or full recovery the function of the cornea. Patients are fully rehabilitated in most cases and visual acuity is restored. This procedure provides an alternative to corneal transplants for keratoconus patients.

The operation is performed under local anesthesia and lasts for 2-3 minutes. The result of the operation is felt on the next day. Patients are discharged from the hospital with a medical certificate the day after the operation. Patients’ medical supervision and monitoring is conducted one month, three months, six months, one year, and two years after the operation. Postoperative treatment is also developed to provide the best scarring of the microcuts. This process provides a framework for strengthening the cornea. Since 1986 Dr. Artsybashev has performed over 500 operations on all stages of keratoconus (I-IV). Due to the various stages of the disease every operation is customized based on the exact form of each cornea. Therefore, a thorough examination is required prior to all operations.

Keratoconus Stage II Results

Keratoconus Stage II

	OD	OS
Pre-op UCVA:	20/200	20/60
Post-op UCVA:	20/40	20/22.5

Keratoconus Stage II/III Immediate Results

Uncorrected visual acuity improved from 0.05 (20/400) to 0.6 (20/35) when measured one day following surgery.

Keratoconus Stage III/IV Results

	OD	OS
Pre-op:	0.25	0.05
1 Month Post-op:	0.55	0.55
3 Month Post-op:	0.95	0.95

Case Example: Advanced Stage IV Keratoconus w/ Central Leucoma

A forty-three year old male arrived to Artsybashev Ophthalmology Clinic with progressive bilateral keratoconus stage III/IV right (OD) and stage IV left (OS). Previous doctors the patient consulted had advised that an urgent corneal transplantation was necessary for his left eye. Following a preliminary examination by Dr. Artsybashev, the patient requested an alternative to the corneal transplant. Over the next two days both eyes were operated by the Artsybashev keratotomy technique. During the rehabilitation period the central leucoma has been steadily clearing. The 3-month follow-up is presented below:

Please note that the color-coded topographic maps use different diopter scales for the 1 and 3 month follow-ups.

All visual acuity measurements are UCVA (without correction).

Pre-Operative Examination (Day 1):