Recurrent corneal erosion: pathology of corneal puncture

Recurrent corneal erosion is a difficult disorder to treat. Despite conventional therapy, some patients continue to have episodes of erosion. Recent literature suggests the efficacy of corneal puncture, which is thought to induce adherence of the epithelium and basement membrane to the anterior stroma. We performed multiple corneal punctures with 23-, 25-, 27-, and 30-gauge needles on one patient who underwent penetrating keratoplasty 7 weeks later. We found that an insertion depth of 0.1 mm was sufficient to cause the production of new basement membrane and fibrocytic reaction in the anterior stroma. Analysis of the pathologic specimen supports the use of the larger 23- and 25-gauge needles, and cautions against the use of small gauge needles, especially 30-gauge, for this procedure.