title: Experimental model of laser in situ keratomileusis in hens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop an experimental animal model of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in hens.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred adult hens underwent a 60-microm corneal flap followed by -4 diopter excimer laser ablation. Surgical technique, clinical course, and pathology correlations are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty percent of animals had a successful LASIK outcome according to clinical observations. Pathology showed the integrity of Bowman's layer and homogeneous flap in all eyes with good clinical outcomes. Flap complications such as buttonholes (5%), free-flaps (2%), and slipped flaps (3.4%) occurred with the surgical technique. Corneal abscess (2.9%) was also present. Loss of transparency was noted in 26.4%, which correlates with epithelial ingrowth detected by light histology study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An experimental animal model of LASIK was successfully developed in adult hens. This model could be useful in the study of wound healing and pharmacological modulation after LASIK in an animal with Bowman's layer.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Universitario de Oftalmobiología Aplicada, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rodrigo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merayo-Lloves
authors.forename: José T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Blanco-Mezquita
authors.forename: Celia P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gutiérez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martínez-García
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000601:surgery*; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014945:Wound Healing