Prognosis of paraquat-induced ocular surface injury: therapeutic effect of amniotic membrane transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prognosis of paraquat-induced ocular surface injury and the therapeutic efficacy of amniotic membrane transplantation for the treatment of ocular surface damage.


METHODS
Twenty patients (26 eyes) with ocular surface injury caused by paraquat were studied. Twelve patients (14 eyes) underwent amniotic membrane transplantation combined with medical treatment (group A), and 8 patients (12 eyes) received medical treatment only (group B). Visual acuity, time to epithelial defect closure, stromal haze, and complications were analyzed.


RESULTS
The grade of the ocular surface injury was mild in 19 eyes (73.1%). Visual acuity improved in 20 eyes (76.9%). The epithelial defect healed completely in 25 eyes (96.2%), with a mean healing time of 16.04 +/- 6.22 days. At the final visit, 80.8% of cases had no stromal haze. The mean time to epithelial defect closure was 13.43 +/- 3.55 days in group A and 19.18 +/- 7.25 days in group B (P = 0.03). Complications included punctal stenosis (2 eyes) and pannus (1 eye) in group A and conjunctivalization (1 eye) and symblepharon (1 eye) in group B.


CONCLUSIONS
Paraquat-induced ocular surface injury had a relatively good prognosis. Amniotic membrane transplantation was helpful in shortening the time to closure of the epithelial defect.
Yoon
Kyung-Chul
KC
Department of Ophthalmology, Center for Biomedical Human Resources, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. kcyoon@jnu.ac.kr
Im
Seong-Kyu
SK
Kim
Jae-Chan
JC
Yoon
Kyoung-Won
KW
Choi
Sung-Kyu
SK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006540:Herbicides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010269:Paraquat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014945:Wound Healing
D006540:Herbicides; D010269:Paraquat