Study of How Lying on Your Back for Different Lengths Affects Recovery After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty DMEK for Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

What this Trial Is About

This clinical trial studies people with Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy undergoing Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty DMEK surgery. It aims to find out if spending more time lying on the back after surgery helps the corneal transplant stick better and reduces complications. Researchers also want to understand side effects like back pain from different durations of back positioning. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups lying on the back for 1 day or for 5 days after the transplant surgery. Both groups will wear a movement sensor to record head position. Researchers will regularly check participants eyes using vision tests and anterior segment optical coherence tomography AS-OCT imaging. Participants will also answer questions about their vision and comfort and keep a diary of any back positioning-related complaints. During the first two weeks after surgery, researchers will measure the area of graft detachment to compare outcomes between groups. They will also monitor how many additional procedures, like rebubbling, are needed. Participants symptoms and comfort related to different back positioning durations will be assessed throughout the study. This trial is sponsored by University Hospital Heidelberg and plans to continue until March 2027.

Influence of Supine Positioning on the Outcomes After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK)