Fine-needle diathermy for corneal vascularisation

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Corneal angiogenesis, a response to injury, involves immune cells and toxin removal but causes vision impairment.
• Neovascularization leads to lipid keratopathy and immunogenicity, often necessitating treatment before keratoplasty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the Fine Needle Diathermy (FND) procedure for treating corneal neovascularization.
• To outline the indications and contraindications for using FND in corneal vascularization.

Main Methods:

• FND utilizes monopolar cautery to coagulate afferent and efferent corneal blood vessels.
• The technique involves precise needle placement, targeting mature vessels while avoiding necrotic tissue.

Main Results:

• FND is most effective during the mature vessel formation stage of corneal neovascularization.
• The procedure is particularly beneficial for neovascularization resulting from infectious keratitis.

Conclusions:

• Fine Needle Diathermy is a viable treatment for corneal neovascularization.
• Optimal timing for keratoplasty is 3-4 months post-FND, after vascular regression.