Background/aims To evaluate the Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis (KPro-1) in treatment of eyes with primary congenital glaucoma.

Methods A retrospective review was performed of every eye with congenital glaucoma that was treated with a KPro-1 at a tertiary eye care centre between 1 January 2008 and 1 July 2014. The main outcome measures were visual outcome, prosthesis retention and postoperative complications.

Results Six eyes of six patients met the inclusion criteria. This included two paediatric patients, aged 6 months and 6 years, and four adults who were 27–33 years of age. Preoperatively, the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was worse than 20/400 in every eye. Three eyes had hand motions and one eye had light perception vision. After a mean follow-up period of 31 months (range 16–51 months), three eyes (50.0%) had a BCVA that was ≥20/400. Overall, the BCVA improved in four eyes (66.7%), and remained the same in two eyes (33.3%). The device was retained in six eyes (83.3%). One or more complications occurred in five eyes (83.3%) and included sterile corneal ulceration (three eyes), retroprosthetic membrane formation (three eyes), progressive glaucomatous optic neuropathy (two eyes), device extrusion (one eye) and an epiretinal membrane (one eye).

Conclusions The Boston KPro-1 has an excellent prognosis for retention in eyes with congenital glaucoma. The visual prognosis remains guarded due to the high prevalence of pre-existing ocular comorbidity and the common occurrence of sight-threatening postoperative complications.