Keratocyte density after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy with mitomycin C

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Surgery
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Corneal keratocytes are crucial for corneal structure and wound healing.
• Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) is a refractive surgical procedure.
• Mitomycin C (MMC) is an antimetabolite used to inhibit fibroblast proliferation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of LASEK with intraoperative MMC on corneal keratocyte populations.
• To compare keratocyte density in different corneal stromal layers after LASEK with MMC versus control eyes.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional, comparative case series.
• Fifty-six eyes were analyzed: 28 treated with LASEK and 0.02% MMC, and 28 control eyes.
• Keratocyte density was measured at 3 months post-surgery in anterior, mid, and posterior stroma.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant decrease in keratocyte density was observed in the anterior stroma of LASEK with MMC eyes compared to controls.
• Conversely, keratocyte density was significantly higher in the mid and deep stroma of the treated group.
• Overall corneal keratocyte population was significantly higher in the LASEK with MMC group.

Conclusions:

• LASEK with MMC leads to a reduction in anterior stromal keratocytes at 3 months post-surgery.
• Compensatory proliferation of keratocytes occurs in deeper corneal layers.
• The capacity of keratocytes to repopulate the cornea appears to be preserved after LASEK with MMC.