SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF CORNEAL PATHOLOGY IN PATIENTS WITH DOWNS-SYNDROME

Keratoconus is a major cause of blindness in patients with Down's synd rome. A retrospective study of 30 corneal grafts for keratoconus in th ese patients revealed a 5-year graft survival of 67%. Postoperative tr auma and/or infection was the main cause for graft failure. Conditions that should be met before the indication for corneal transplantation in a patient with Down's syndrome are formulated as a result of 15 yea rs experience with that patient population. In appropriate cases, corn eal transplantation may undoubtedly improve the quality of life in the se patients.