Purpose: We evaluated the therapeutic effect of 0.5% topical cyclosporine on human corneal allograft rejection.
Methods: Sixteen patients (16 eyes) with corneal allograft rejection, refractory to the conventional treatments, were recruited and treated with 0.5% cyclosporine eyedrops in this study.
Results: Of 16 eyes with corneal graft rejection after penetrating keratoplasty treated with 0.5% cyclosporine eyedrops, nine eyes were completely cured, six eyes improved markedly, and treatment 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 months) disclosed that rejection recurred in three of the nine cured eyes--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 treatment of corneal graft rejection with 0.5% topical cyclosporine yielded good results in eyes with satisfactory preoperative corneal transplantation beds and beneficial effects in eyes with poor preoperative corneal transplantation beds.