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Updated: Apr 25, 2026
Full-Field Optical Coherence Microscopy for Histology-Like Analysis of Stromal Features in Corneal Grafts
Published on: October 21, 2022
Wound healing process after corneal stromal thinning observed with anterior segment optical coherence tomography
Tsugiaki Utsunomiya1, Kazuomi Hanada, Osamu Muramatsu
1*Department of Ophthalmology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan; and †Department of Medicine and Engineering, Combined Research Institute, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to observe the wound healing process after corneal stromal thinning by using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and a slit lamp.
Methods:
Four patients with corneal stromal thinning (2 patients: corneal iron foreign bodies; 2 patients: keratitis) were included. Serial AS-OCT and slit-lamp examinations were used to follow up the progress of these patients. The thicknesses of the whole cornea and the corneal stroma were measured with AS-OCT and compared with the findings observed during the slit-lamp examination.
Results:
AS-OCT showed that epithelial hypertrophy and hyperplasia initially occurred in the area of the corneal stromal thinning; subsequently, scar tissue formed in the area with an improvement in the thickness of the corneal stroma. This wound healing process was observed in all 4 patients. The scar tissue initially appeared opaque on slit-lamp examination and was characterized by a high signal produced on AS-OCT, which was different from the normal corneal stroma. The scar tissue gradually appeared clear on slit-lamp examination; however, the high signal on AS-OCT remained.
Conclusions:
AS-OCT can be used to detect the wound healing process of corneal stromal thinning.
