title: Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Corneal Small Incision Allogenic Intrastromal Lenticule Implantation in Monkeys: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lenticule implantation can be used to correct vision problems. However, it is significantly restrained by the sources of autologous lenticules. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and effects of femtosecond laser-assisted corneal small incision allogenic intrastromal lenticule implantation (AILI) in monkeys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six healthy adult monkeys were included in this study. Femtosecond lenticule extraction (-4.0 diopter [D] correction, 5.0-mm optical zone) was performed in one eye of two monkeys and both eyes of one monkey. Each extracted refractive lenticule was allogenically transplanted into a femtosecond laser-created corneal stromal pocket in one eye of the other two monkeys and one monkey's both eyes. Pre- and postoperative (1 or 3 days, 1 month, and 6 months) slit lamp microscopy, corneal topography, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, and in vivo confocal microscopy were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Corneal edema occurred in the early postoperative days with a large number of hyperreflective particles around the borders. Corneal tissue edema gradually decreased. Nerve fiber regeneration could be detected in the lenticule layer at 6 months. Overall, 3.27 ± 1.2 D corneal power was increased at 6 months, accounting for 82% of the intended correction. At the same time point, corneal stroma was 69 ± 11 μm thicker than preoperative ones and was roughly equal to the maximum thickness of implanted lenticules. No significant complications were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AILI technique seems to be feasible and safe for increasing corneal stromal thickness and changing corneal refractive power, which may provide a useful method for treatment of keratoectasia, presbyopia, and hyperopia.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Meiyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: New Vision Eye Clinic, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Huiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Renyuan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Myopia Ministry of Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xingtao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000601:surgery*; D048988:Corneal Surgery, Laser / Q000379:methods*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous