To evaluate the efficacy of combined photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and cataract surgery in granular corneal dystrophy (GCD) patients with corneal stromal haziness compromising vision and cataract and clinically significant lens opacity.

Medical records of 12 eyes that underwent PRK and cataract surgery between August 2009 and November 2013 in patients with GCD and cataracts were retrospectively evaluated. All PRKs were performed with the VISX S4 IR (VISX, Santa Clara, CA, USA). The double K SRK-T formula or double K Hoffer Q formula and postoperative corrected K were utilized to determine the intraocular lens power in patients with prior PRK. Postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spherical equivalent, presence of the central island using topography analysis and recurrence of corneal opacity after combined PRK and cataract surgery were evaluated.

In all eyes, the PRK was successful and 3 eyes showed recurrence of corneal opacities without visual impairment during a mean follow-up of 36.6 months. The mean BCVA improved with an average increase of 4.63 lines (minimum 1 line, maximum 9 lines) and no patient showed any BCVA loss. Final spherical equivalent was -0.56 diopter (D) and the corneal central island was reported in only 1 eye. The Maloney method using the double-K formula with the SRK/T formula showed the lowest absolute error of 0.33 ± 0.25 D.

Combined PRK and cataract surgery are effective methods for improving BCVA if patients with GCD have both visually significant diffuse corneal haze and clinically significant lens opacity.