This study was performed to identify the expression of neurofilament in sensory nerve of human cornea. The three normal corneal tissues were dissected. Monoclonal antibody to neurofilament protein were used to visualize the corneal nerve. The one normal cornea was examined to observe the corneal nerve with electron rnicroscope. Transmission electron rnicroscope showed that the corneal nerve contained the neurofilament within the axon. The indirect iinmunofluorescent techniques revealed the expression of neurofilament in corneal stroma. The results of this study show that immunofluorescent technique may useful method in identification of sensory nerve of human cornea, and make it easy for us to visualize corneal innervation pattern in flat section by using of antibody to neurofilament protein.
Axons ; Cornea* ; Corneal Stroma ; Humans*

To investigate if excimer laser ablation of the corneal stroma affect the Barrier function of the corneal endothelial cells and to establish the depth Of excimer laser ablation that will not impair endothelial barrier.
Corneal Stroma ; Endothelial Cells ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Permeability*

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes of corneal nerve innervation and sensitivity after corneal tattooing. METHODS: Twelve New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups of six subjects each. Tissue marking dye or balanced-salt solution was injected into the corneal stroma in one eye of each subject. Corneal nerve innervation was observed at 3 days and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks postoperatively and compared with that of the opposite eyes. Corneal sensitivity was evaluated at 1, 2, and 3 days and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks postoperatively and compared to the preoperative values in the same subjects. RESULTS: The ratios of corneal nerve density of the study eyes to those of the control fellow eyes were 1.09 in the central area and 1.06 in the peripheral area in subjects injected with tissue marking dye, and 1.11 and 1.23, respectively, in subjects injected with balanced salt solution, which showed no difference between the two groups. The corneal nerve density tends to increase at 3 days postoperatively (p=0.125), but no significant change was found thereafter. Corneal sensitivity assessed using the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer was 2.13+/-0.48 cm preoperatively. At three days postoperatively, it was 2.50+/-0.48 cm in subjects injected with tissue marking dye and 2.33+/-0.26 cm in subjects injected with balanced salt solution. It was significantly increased at 3 days postoperatively (2.42+/-0.36 cm, p=0.031), but there were no significant changes at 7 days or more postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal nerve density increased at 3 days after corneal tattooing, and this effect is thought to be related to early postoperative hypersensitivity.
Corneal Stroma ; Hypersensitivity ; Nerve Regeneration* ; Rabbits ; Tattooing*

Traumatic injury to the eye can occur due to various causes, most of which are avoidable. Here we report three cases of intrastromal corneal foreign bodies (FB) which required surgical removal. Most corneal FBs are removed easily at the slit lamp, however, these cases required surgical intervention due to the mechanism of which the FB penetrated into the stroma. Although the mechanism of injury was similar, with all three cases occurring at high velocity, we observed that the entry and level of penetration differed in each case. In the first case, the corneal FB penetrated the cornea and was embedded in the anterior stroma, whereas in the second case, the FB was embedded in the posterior stroma, but with an intact endothelium. In the third case, the FB caused a full thickness, self-sealed laceration wound but remained embedded in the stroma. Through further evaluation, we noted that several factors contribute towards the severity of the injury, namely, anatomy of the cornea, area affected, shape, size, mass and velocity of the object. We speak in depth about the mechanism of injury and physics associated with these injuries and why the penetration differed in each case.
corneal stroma ; foreign bodies ; injury ; mechanics ; physics

The cultured cells were derived from rabbit corneal stroma by explant technique following microdissection and serial passage. The ultrastructural features of fourteenth-passage keratocytes were examined with both scanning and transmission electron microscope. The cells can be divided into activated, intermediate and old cell according to the differences in electron density and surface microvillous pattern. The morphologic characteristics of the cultured keratocytes partially resemble those shown in corneal keratocytes in vivo.
Cells, Cultured ; Corneal Keratocytes* ; Corneal Stroma ; Microdissection ; Serial Passage

PURPOSE: To compare preoperative and postoperative thickness and to investigate the difference in the thickness change of corneal epithelium and stroma after cataract surgery through scleral tunnel incision. METHODS: Forty eyes of forty patients who were 40 years old or older and underwent small-incision superior scleral tunnel cataract surgery with phacoemulsification were included. Using the RTVue instrument (Optovue Inc., Fremont, CA, USA), corneal epithelial (ET) and stromal thicknesses (ST) of all subjects were measured preoperatively and at 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively. Thicknesses were classified into 3 zones according to the distance from the vertex: central zone (within 2 mm), paracentral zone (2-5 mm diameter) and midperipheral zone (5-6 mm diameter). RESULTS: Mean central ST was 486.68 ± 25.15 µm, 535.16 ± 48.13 µm, 515.98 ± 44.07 µm, and 502.28 ± 34.87 µm preoperatively, and at 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively, respectively (p < 0.001 for all). ST showed significant thickening in all three zones from 3 days to 1 month postoperatively (p < 0.001 for all). Mean central, paracentral, and midperipheral ET was 52.13 ± 3.41 µm, 50.42 ± 2.97 µm, 49.12 ± 3.05 µm at preoperatively and 51.03 ± 3.63 µm, 48.96 ± 3.62 µm, 47.67 ± 3.81 µm at 1 month postoperatively, respectively (p = 0.061, 0.006, 0.001, respectively), while there were no signficant changes in all three zones at 3 and 7 days postoperatively. Changes in ET and ST were prominent at the superotemporal incision site. CONCLUSIONS: After scleral tunnel cataract surgery, corneal edema was observed in the stroma immediately after surgery. There was no significant change at early times after surgery in the epithelium, and there was a decrease in the peripheral cornea at 1 month postoperatively. The change in ET was considered a compensatory change due to stromal edema and appeared between 1 week to 1 month postoperatively.
Cataract* ; Cornea ; Corneal Edema ; Corneal Stroma ; Edema ; Epithelium ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Humans ; Phacoemulsification

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of different corneal epithelial manipulations in PRK procedure on keratocyte apoptosis. METHODS: Rabbit cornea was examined qualitatively and quantitatively after epithelial scraping(Group I), epithelial scraping followed by PRK(Group II) and transepithelial PRK(Group III). Each of them were compared with that of unwounded control. RESULTS: The number of anterior stromal keratocytes had decreased significantly and TUNEL-positive cells were significantly increased in the anterior stroma in group I and group II on POD 3 days compared with control group(p<0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in the number of anterior stromal keratocytes in group II compared with group III on POD 1 month(p<0.05). In group I and II, keratocytes that had morphologic changes consistent with apoptosis were detected with transmission and scanning electron microscopy on POD 3 days. But in group III, there were many normal appearing keratocyte in the anterior corneal stroma, and few keratocytes undergoing apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Transepithelial PRK induced lower levels of keratocyte apoptosis in rabbit cornea compared to those induced from epithelial scraping followed by PRK. This suggests that transepithelial PRK could be useful in preventing or minimizing refractive regression and corneal opacity, especially in cases of myopia or retreatment after regression.
Apoptosis* ; Cornea ; Corneal Opacity ; Corneal Stroma ; Epithelium, Corneal* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Myopia ; Rabbits* ; Retreatment

The marginal epithelium of corneal ulcer is occasionally edernatous and detached from corneal stroma in chronic corneal ulcer. This leads to retard healing of corneal epithelium because the migration and adhesion of corneal epithelium are prevented. We performed Nd-YAG laser in chronic corneal ulcer, 6 eyes of 6 patients from July 1996 to December 1996. It was used to improve the healing of corneal epithelium. The patiente were treated with Nd-YAG laser using 0.8 to 1. 2mJ per pulse applied to the region of Bowman`s membrane in the margin of corneal ulcer. The mean number of laser spots in one procedure was 22 and the rnean frequency of Nd-YAG laser use in each patient was 2. 3 times. The Nd-YAG laser induced adhesion of corneal epithelium in all patients and improved the healing of corneal epithelium. Therefore, the treatment of Nd-YAG laser can become 8 useful procedure for chronic corneal ulcer accompanied with corneal epithelial detachment.
Corneal Stroma ; Corneal Ulcer* ; Epithelium ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Humans ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Membranes

The authors experienced one case of interstitial keratitis due to congenital syphilis, which showed interstitial keratitis, positive serologic test for syphilis(VDRL) and typical Hutchinson's teeth but no deafness. Syphilitic interstitial keratitis is characterized by wide spread infiltrative inflammation of corneal stroma. chronic course and benign tendency. A brief review and relating literatures are presented.
Corneal Stroma ; Deafness ; Inflammation ; Keratitis* ; Serologic Tests ; Syphilis, Congenital

PURPOSE: We developed corneal graft safety ring for improving of penetrating keratoplasty success rate and minimizing the refractive error, and evaluated its stability in the rabbit cornea. METHODS: Following circular corneal incision (depth: 200 microgram, diameter: 7.5 mm) with 7.5 mm Hess-Burg barron vaccum trephine, corneal stroma was dissected toward the corneal center with 6.5 mm diameter. After insertion of the corneal graft safety ring (diameter: 6.0 mm, thickness: 0.15 mm), we examined gross and histologic findings of the rabbit cornea at postoperative 1week, 1month, 3months. RESULTS: The corneal graft safety ring was maintained stable in rabbit cornea for 3months grossly. Histologic finding around corneal graft safety ring showed inflammatory cells and neovascularization which was increased by 1month, and thereafter decreased markedly and maintained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal graft safety ring implantation seemed to be an amenable procedure for improving penetrating keratoplasty outcome.
Cornea* ; Corneal Stroma ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Refractive Errors ; Transplants*