Comparative study of human keratocyte density after corneal grafting by using confocal microscopy in vivo

In a case control study we determined keratocyte density and size of nuclear area in the central segment of the corneal stroma.

We compared 20 corneas after keratoplasty with 24 eyes of normal healthy individuals. Both groups were matched according to age. Keratocyte density and nuclear area were analyzed using Nidek Confoscan 2 separately for each group. In corneal graft recipients we studied how the mentioned variables were influenced by age of corneal graft donor (ranged from 4- to 71-years old) and by the time from surgery (8 to 77 months).

The comparison of healthy controls and patients with keratoplasty revealed no changes in keratocyte density and the size of nuclear area in central stromal layers. In patients after keratoplasty donor age influenced an increase in keratocyte nuclei area only in the posterior stroma layer (p = 0.042). No such changes were observed in anterior and midstroma layers. Donor age was not found to be significant for keratocyte density in any of the layers. Time from surgery neither influenced changes in keratocyte density nor in keratocyte nuclei area.

In our study using confocal microscopy in vivo we found that corneal grafting does not influence keratocyte density and nuclear area in individual layers of the central corneal stroma segment (anterior, midstroma and posterior layers). Donor age influenced an increase in keratocyte nuclei area only in the posterior stroma layer.