The effects of topical sodium-hyaluronan on the stromal and endothelial healing were examined in the repair process of experimental corneal alkali wounds. Corneal alkali wounds were produced in one eye of each rabbit by applying a 5.5 mm round filter paper soaked in 1N NaOH onto the central cornea for 60 seconds. Then the eyes were treated topically with either 1% Na-HA(the treatment group)or a phosphate buffered saline(PBS)(the con-trol group)4 times per day for 3 weeks. Endothelial wound morphometry was performed after alizarin red and trypan blue staining. The stromal healing was assessed by counting polymorphonuclear leukocytes(PMNs)and keratocytes in the central and marginal wounds areas. The stroma treated with Na-HA had less PMNs than that of the control group during the early healing period. The defect area of the endothelium was significantly smaller in the Na-HA treated group than in the control corneas. The present findings indicate that topically applied 1%Na-HA affects stromal and endothelial healing during the early repair process after corneal alkali wounds.
Alkalies* ; Cornea ; Endothelium ; Trypan Blue ; Wounds and Injuries*

This study was performed to observe the sequential charge of the morpholcgic characteristics in experimentally induced herpes simplex keratitis. Duration and morphology of corneal lesion following infection of rabbit cornea with the Kos strain of HSV-I were followed by a daily slit-lamp examination. Three types of virus inoculation methods were used such as scratching, deepithelialization, and intrastromal injection. Herpetic corneal lesions appeared 24 hours after inoculation with punctate and dendritic figures. They persisted up to 14 or 15 days. The characteristic finding in punctate herpetic keratitis was grouped, round-shaped, punctate lesion. When scratching method was emplyed, the most remarkable finding was the discontinuity of the lesion occurred along the scratching wound at relatively regular intervals. There was no difference in lesional morphology and duration between three inoculation methods.
Cornea ; Keratitis* ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Wounds and Injuries

We report a clinical ananlysis of children's perforating eye injuries which happened in middle western of Korea from Jan., 1988 to Apr., 1993. Total number of patients with perforating eye injuries was 40(40 eyes). The peak age group was 5-6 year of age. The cornea was the most common site of perforation. The most frequent cause of perforating eye injuries was knife and scissors(17.5%) and sharp pointed iron material(17.5%) and followed by glass(17.5%), wood(17.5%), pencil 7.5%), toy(5%), traffic accident(5%). According to this result obtained, the visual prognosis of perforating eye injuries in children is still poor. Special care should be taken to prevent such a severe eye trauma in children by every means.
Child ; Cornea ; Eye Injuries* ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea* ; Prognosis

The results of 8 cases of herpes simplex keratitis and one case of corneo-lenticular adhesion caused by explosion wound treated by cryogenic instrument (Amoils cryo unit) are presented. The cryoapplicator (2mm in diameter) were applied on the lesions 7-15 seconds. (Temperature: -50 degrees C ~ -70 degrees C). One of herpes simplex keratitis patients was suffered from redness of the lids following cryotherapy for 3 days.
Cornea* ; Cryotherapy ; Explosions ; Freezing* ; Humans ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Wounds and Injuries

The effects of topical sodium-hyaluronan (Na-HA)on the epithelial healing and aqueous compositions were examined in the repair process of experimen-tal corneal alkali wounds.Corneal alkali wounds were produced in one eye of each rabbit by applying a 5.5 mmround filter paper soaked in 1N NaOH onto the central cornea for 60 seconds.Then the eyes were treated topically with either 1%Na-HA (the treatment group)or a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (the control group)4 times per day.The epithelial healing was assessed using a quantitative method and the changes of the concentration of ascorbic acid and glucose in aqueous were evaluated.The initial epithelial healing rate was similar between 1%Na-HA treated and control groups and the later healing was enhanced in the treated group but statistically insignificant.The concentrations of ascorbic acid and glucose in aqueous humor are not statistically different in the early phase, but ascorbic acid concentration in later healing phase was higher in the treated group when compared with the control group.The present findings in dicate that topical-ly applied 1%Na-HA affects late epithelial healing and ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor during the repair process after corneal alkali wounds.
Alkalies* ; Aqueous Humor ; Ascorbic Acid ; Cornea ; Epithelium ; Glucose ; Wounds and Injuries*

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the efficacy of Scion Image(R)program, the measurement of area of cornea lesion in the process of corneal diseases. METHODS: Photographs were processed digitally from three corneal wound lesions, and the Adobe Photoshop(R) and Scion Image(R) were used to calculate the area. These measured automatically the area of the damaged corneal lesion in numerical values, allowing precise calculation of the ratio of the wounded area to the entire cornea. RESULTS: In the first case of corneal abrasion by contact lenses, we were able to measure the ratio of the lesion, improving from 45% to 9% after two days of treatment. In the second case of the typical corneal ulcer, the infected area was 23.6% of the cornea before treatment, and decreased to 14.5% after treatment. In the third case of the ring shaped corneal ulcer, we were able to measure the lesion accurately using the Scion Image(R) CONCLUSIONS: The Scion Image(R)program may be used for the measurement of corneal surface lesion. It seemed to allow objective and accurate measurement.
Contact Lenses ; Cornea ; Corneal Diseases ; Corneal Ulcer ; Wounds and Injuries

We studied the healing course and histologic change of ablated rabbit cornea following excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy using three different corneal wound healing methods; pressure patch, T-lens, collagen shield. Nine rabbits(18 eyes) were divided into three different groups according to its treatment method. Corneal status including the corneal haze, conjunctival injection, discharge amount at postoperative 1st day, 2nd day and 3rd day were the same, irrespective to the treatment method and corneal wound healing rate show no significant differentces in all the groups. The histologic feature revealed irregular epithelial hyperplasia and keratacyte infiltration in the superficial stromal layer on postoperative 3rd day and 7th day. These reactions lessened at postoperative 1 month. The cornea treated with pressure patch group revealed more severe tissue reaction when compared with the other groups, T-lens and collagen shield. These results suggest that the corneal wounds produced by excimer laser can be managed by T-lens as an another alternative method of wound treatment.
Collagen* ; Cornea* ; Hyperplasia ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

PURPOSE: Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) is a refractive surgery technique in which the cornea is covered with the epithelial flap after keratectomy. However, there have been reports of tissue damage by the alcohol utilized in this procedure while preparing the epithelial flap, which has led to novel methods. One of these is the mechanical designing of the epithelial flap named epipolis laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (Epi-LASIK). This study evaluates the histologic features and wound healing process of the corneal flap using Epi-Tome, which is the epithelial cutter of the newly introduced Epi-Lasik. METHODS: Twenty-four eyes of 12 dogs were devided into two groups. In one group (n=12), 20% alcohol was used and, in the other group (n=12), Epi-Tome (Gebauer, Germany) was used to make a corneal flap. The size change of a fluorescein-stained epithelial defect was followed postoperatively at 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours. RESULTS: The maximum decrease in defect size were observed at 0 to 6 hours in the Epi-Tome group, and from 6 to 12 hours in the alcohol group; the value were 10.01+/-5.32 mm2 and 9.23+/-4.75 mm2 respectively. Histologic review revealed that there was less tissue damage and smoother cut edge in the Epi-Tome group compared to the alcohol group, and the adhesion between stroma and epithelium was faster in the Epi-Tome group. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanically detached corneal flaps had favorable chances of survival such that re-epithelialization occurred early in the postoperative phase. A few epithelial fragments at a corneal section plane prevent corneal opacification and minimize inflammatory reaction, thus reducing postoperative pain.
Animals ; Cornea ; Dogs ; Epithelium ; Pain, Postoperative ; Re-Epithelialization ; Refractive Surgical Procedures ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

The authors performed conventional radial keratotomy(RK) in one eye(Keratotomy group) and RK with cyanoacrylate glue in the other eye(Glue group) for 5 rabbits and compared the diopteric changes between before and four weeks after operation. The refractory power(mean+/-SD) of the cornea meassured with keratometer before the RK was 51.53 +/- 0.77 diopter(D) in Keratotomy group and 51.98 +/- 0.84D in Glue group. It was reduced four week after RK by 4.73 +/- 1.94D and 7.15 +/- 1.46D. respectively. The change of refractive power between two groups showed a statistically significant difference(p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference of astigmatism between two groups(p>0.05). Histologic examination was performed with 4 eyes of 2 rabbits 4 week after RK. It was found in both groups that same pattern of epithelial plug and irregulaly oriented collagen fibers in stroma. However, the epithelial plug was more prominent in RK group than in Glue group. In conclusion, it was found that that RK with cyanoacrylate glue was more effective in reduction of keratometic diopter than keratotomy alone and the reason seemed to be a decreased epithelial plug in a keratotomy wound.
Adhesives* ; Astigmatism ; Collagen ; Cornea* ; Cyanoacrylates* ; Keratotomy, Radial* ; Rabbits ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

PURPOSE: The Influence of topically applied human epidermal growth factor(hEGF) on stromal keratocyte was evaluated in the experimental corneal alkali wounds. METHODS: Corneal alkali wounds were induced by applying a 5.5 mm round filter paper soaked in 1N NaOH onto the center of rabbit cornea for 60 seconds. The eyes were treated topically with 5 micrometer/ml hEGF(DaeWoong Pharma. Co. Ltd. Seoul, Korea) or PBS, 3 times per day. After 3- and 28-days treatment, the corneas were processed for transmission electron microscopy(TEM). RESULTS: After 3-days treatment, the basement membrane integrity was maintained and the stromal keratocyte remained damaged in both groups. However, after 28-days treatment, the basement membrane was disrupted and the keratocytes were activated in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of present study indicated that the optimal concentration of hEGF which is known to stimulate the epithelial healing was failed to affect the keratocyte activities as long as the basement membrane integrity was maintained.
Alkalies* ; Basement Membrane ; Cornea ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Humans* ; Seoul ; Wounds and Injuries*