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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Corneal Epithelial Abrasion with Ocular Burr As a Model for Cornea Wound Healing
Published on: July 10, 2018
[Effect of seawater soaking on corneal epidermis injury]
Suihua Chen1, Zhenping Huang, Lili Wang
1Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Nanjing Command PLA Nanjing 210002, China.
Purpose:
Use slit lamp microscope and optical microscope to observe the changes in corneal tissue after corneal epidermis injury and the effect of seawater soaking on the healing of cornea after explosive injury.
Method:
Corneal epidermis were scraped on 20 eyes of 10 adult grey rabbits. For each rabbit, the right eye was in experiment and the left one was for comparison. After the injury, the experimental eyes were soaked in seawater for 30 minutes and the comparable eyes were soaked in 0.9% sodium chloride injection for the same time. All eyes were underwent slit lamp examinations, fluorescein dyeing, and ultrasonic cornea thickness metering on the corneas before the injury and 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 days after the injury respectively. At the same time, 2 rabbits were killed and the eyes were examined with pathology. The cornea thickness numbers were compared using self-comparison t test and grouping t test. Result after scraping the whole corneal epidermis, slit lamp microscope examination found that the corneas were edema and turbidity, the experimental eyes were stricter than the comparable eyes. The corneas of the experimental eye were vascularized 10 days after the injury. Fluorescein dyeing showed that more apparent pigmentation was found on the experimental eyes than that on the comparable ones. Comparative examination under the optical microscope showed that the corneal tissue of the experiment eyes changed distinctly, its inflammation is patency and healing was delayed and the vascularization degree became high after the injury. Cornea thickness of the experimental eyes became apparently thicker than that of the comparable eyes. The difference was statistically significant.
Conclusion:
Seawater soaking will have bad effects on the healing of the corneal epidermis injury.
Insights
Seawater exposure negatively impacts corneal healing after injury. Rabbit corneas soaked in seawater showed delayed recovery, increased inflammation, and vascularization compared to saline-soaked controls.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Biology
- Wound Healing
Context:
- Corneal injuries can occur due to various trauma, including explosive events.
- Understanding the impact of environmental factors on corneal healing is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose:
- To investigate the effects of seawater immersion on corneal epidermis injury healing.
- To compare the outcomes of seawater versus saline solution on corneal tissue recovery.
Summary:
- Grey rabbits with induced corneal epidermis injury were subjected to either seawater or saline soaks.
- Slit lamp microscopy, fluorescein dyeing, and optical microscopy revealed delayed healing, edema, turbidity, inflammation, and increased vascularization in seawater-soaked corneas.
- Corneal thickness significantly increased in the seawater-exposed group.
Impact:
- Seawater immersion adversely affects corneal wound healing, leading to prolonged recovery and pathological changes.
- Findings highlight the detrimental effects of seawater on ocular surface integrity and suggest avoiding seawater exposure after corneal injury.
