Laser-Assisted Keratoplasty and Post-keratoplasty Management

Abstract

Lasers have been used in ophthalmology for decades in various ways. The use of the femtosecond laser in ophthalmology was first conceptualized for corneal flaps in LASIK in the early 1990s. Since then, there has been an expansion of the use of femtosecond lasers for various applications in the cornea and more recently for cataract surgery. This is a review of the use of the femtosecond laser for keratoplasty. We start with an overview of the mechanism of femtosecond laser cuts in the cornea and then review pearls for performing femtosecond laser-enabled keratoplasty (FLEK). Next, a literature review of femtosecond lasers for penetrating and lamellar keratoplasty is discussed. Lastly, femtosecond lasers for post-keratoplasty astigmatism management are examined.