Mitomycin C reduces haze formation in rabbits after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of mitomycin C on haze after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).


METHODS
Twenty of 24 rabbits underwent bilateral 193-nm excimer laser PRK to correct -10.00 D of myopia; the remaining four rabbits were not operated (no PRK group). The right eyes of the 20 rabbits were treated with 0.02% mitomycin C during surgery (PRK+MMC group) and the left eyes did not receive 0.02% mitomycin C (PRK alone group). Clinical and histopathologic examinations were performed.


RESULTS
The most severe haze in the PRK alone group after PRK reached grade 3; the PRK+MMC group did not exceed grade 1 haze. Statistically significant differences were found between the PRK+MMC and PRK alone groups from week 2 to week 26 after treatment (P<.01). Epithelial thickening appeared for 26 weeks in both PRK groups; no statistically significant differences were found between the two PRK groups (P>.05). A marked reduction of keratocytes in the anterior stroma of the PRK+MMC group was observed. At week 1, 2, and 4 after PRK, keratocytes of the PRK+MMC group were only 3.1+/-2.6, 6.8+/-4.7, and 12.4+/-5.7 keratocytes x 10(4)/microm2, respectively, while those of the PRK alone group were 41.2+/-80, 42.3+/-7.8, and 40.0+/-3.3 keratocytes x 10(4)/microm2, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A single intraoperative application of topical mitomycin C during PRK in rabbits reduced corneal haze by inhibiting the proliferation of keratocytes.
Xu
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Medical University, Changsha, China. xhz1030@yahoo.com
Liu
S
S
Xia
X
X
Huang
P
P
Wang
P
P
Wu
X
X
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011817:Rabbits
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016685:Mitomycin