Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
Ex Vivo Corneal Organ Culture Model for Wound Healing Studies
Published on: February 15, 2019
Early changes in corneal sensation, ocular surface integrity, and tear-film function after laser-assisted
Jutta Horwath-Winter1, Bertram Vidic, Gerold Schwantzer
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria. jutta.borwath@meduni-graz.at
Purpose:
To investigate the changes in corneal sensation, ocular surface integrity, and tear-film function after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK).
Setting:
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Methods:
Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy was performed in 21 consecutive patients (37 myopic eyes). The patients were observed for subjective complaints of dry eye, corneal sensation, tear-film breakup time (BUT), Schirmer test without local anesthesia, and fluorescein and lissamin-green staining preoperatively and 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.
Results:
The subjective score for dry-eye symptoms was not statistically significantly higher after the procedure. Corneal sensation was reduced up to 1 month after LASEK (P<.05). There were obvious decreases in BUT at 1 week and 1 month (P<.01) and no significant changes in Schirmer test results. In fluorescein staining of the cornea, dots were more concentrated at 1 week (P<.05). In lissamin-green staining, no significant changes were found at any follow-up examination.
Conclusions:
Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy induced a short-term reduction in corneal sensation and affected the ocular surface and tear film slightly. Epithelial flap repositioning in LASEK may have a positive influence on tear-film and ocular-surface factors.
