2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (8): 1626-1633

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Visual acuity at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively was higher than preoperatively in both groups (P < 0.05). The postoperative best-corrected visual acuity between the two groups showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). With the prolongation of postoperative time, the corneal endothelial cell density gradually decreased in the two groups, and the annual loss rate of corneal endothelial cell density in the penetrating keratoplasty group was higher than that of the deep lamellar keratoplasty group at 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in corneal graft transparency between the two groups at 12 months postoperatively (P > 0.05). There were six cases of complications in the deep lamellar keratoplasty group and 14 cases of complications in the penetrating keratoplasty group. There was no recurrence in 57 cases within 12 months after surgery, and the difference in recurrence rates between the two groups at 5 years after surgery was not significant (P > 0.05). The graft survival rates at 5 years after surgery in the penetrating keratoplasty group and the deep lamellar keratoplasty group were 83% and 86%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). To conclude, deep lamellar keratoplasty could be considered as an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty in the treatment of stromal corneal dystrophy.