LOCAL THERAPY OF CORNEAL ALLOGRAFT-REJECTION WITH CYCLOSPORINE

PURPOSE: We evaluated the therapeutic effect of 0.5% topical cyclospor ine on human corneal allograft rejection. METHODS: Sixteen patients (1 6 eyes) with corneal allograft rejection, refractory to the convention al treatments, were recruited and treated with 0.5% cyclosporine eyedr ops in this study. RESULTS: Of 16 eyes with corneal graft rejection af ter penetrating keratoplasty treated with 0.5% cyclosporine eyedrops, nine eyes were completely cured, six eyes improved markedly, and treat ment was ineffective in one eye. A follow up of 12 to 24 months (three eyes for 12 months, five eyes for 18 months, and eight eyes for 24 mo nths) disclosed that rejection recurred in three of the nine cured eye s-two eyes after suspension of cyclosporine and one eye after removal of the sutures. The recurrence of rejection resolved by resumption of the cyclosporine eyedrops. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that t reatment of corneal graft rejection with 0.5% topical cyclosporine yie lded good results in eyes with satisfactory preoperative corneal trans plantation beds and beneficial effects in eyes with poor preoperative corneal transplantation beds.