title: LASIK induces minimal regrowth and no haze development in rabbit corneas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify central corneal regrowth and haze development after LASIK in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  New Zealand White rabbits received an 89 microm (-8 diopters) myopic LASIK and were evaluated during 4 months using slit-lamp and in vivo confocal microscopy to monitor changes in central corneal morphology, epithelial and stromal thickness, flap and bed thickness, and corneal light backscattering (haze). At various time-points, corneas were processed for histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using in vivo confocal microscopy, LASIK induced no detectable morphological changes besides a slightly elevated light backscattering at the interface. Correspondingly, all corneas remained clear with no haze development by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. Corneal thickness was stable by 8 weeks after an increase of 17 +/- 4 microm that consisted of a 13 +/- 3 microm stromal regrowth and a 4 +/- 2 microm epithelial hyperplasia. At the LASIK interface, less than 4 microm new extracellular matrix was deposited. Accordingly, all LASIK flaps were easily pulled off by 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LASIK induces a minimal wound healing response in rabbit corneas with no haze development and a regrowth (regression) of only 17 microm of an 89-microm photoablation. Three main factors contributed to the observed regrowth: epithelial hyperplasia (approximately 4 microm), matrix deposition at the LASIK interface (approximately 4 microm), and stromal growth outside the interface within the flap and wound bed (approximately 9 microm).
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Ivarsen
authors: Torben
authors: T
authors: Møller-Pedersen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ; D008027:Light; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D011817:Rabbits; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D005353:Fibronectins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta