Wound healing after excimer laser keratomileusis (photorefractive keratectomy) in monkeys.
Laser myopic keratomileusis (photorefractive keratectomy) was performed on 29 rhesus monkey corneas with an argon fluoride (193-nm) excimer laser and a computer-controlled, moving slit delivery system. The 4-mm-diameter central ablation zone ranged in depth from 11 microns (-2 diopters effect) to 46 microns (-8 diopters effect). Corneas were studied for the 9 months postoperatively by clinical slit-lamp microscopy, and periodically with light and transmission electron microscopy. By 6 weeks, mild to moderate subepithelial haze was apparent in 93% of the corneas, with considerable variability in density. Progressive clearing occurred so that by 6 to 9 months 12 of 13 surviving corneas (92%) were either completely clear (4 corneas) or trace hazy (8 corneas). The epithelium was thickened at 21 days after ablation and returned to normal thickness by 3 months. At 3 weeks, subepithelial fibroblasts were three times the density of normal keratocytes and returned to nearly normal numbers by 9 months. We concluded that the anterior monkey cornea demonstrated a mild, typical wound healing response after excimer laser keratomileusis.
Fantes
F E
FE
Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga. 30322.
Hanna
K D
KD
Waring
G O
GO
Pouliquen
Y
Y
Thompson
K P
KP
Savoldelli
M
M
D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000473:pathology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D054140:Refractive Surgical Procedures; D014945:Wound Healing