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Published on: July 6, 2015
Inflammatory response in the early stages of wound healing after excimer laser keratectomy
T P O'Brien1, Q Li, M F Ashraf
1Cornea Service, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., USA.
Objective:
To evaluate the inflammatory response and its potential role in the early stages of corneal wound healing after excimer laser keratectomy.
Materials And Methods:
Lewis rats underwent excimer keratectomy using a 193-nm excimer laser. The central corneas were ablated in 3 depths: group A, epithelium; group B, superficial stroma; or group C, deep stroma. Eyes were harvested 1, 12, 24, and 36 hours, and 1 week after the rats were killed. Immunohistochemistry was used to test frozen sections with monoclonal antibodies of various inflammatory cellular markers.
Results:
Reepithelialization was observed at 12 hours in group A, and at 24 hours in groups B and C. Regenerated epithelium covered the denuded corneal surface in groups B and C after 1 week. The expression of major histocompatibility complex II antigen was detected in infiltrating cells, corneal epithelial cells, and endothelial cells 1 hour after surgery. Only a few macrophages and Langerhans cells were in the limbus at baseline. Macrophages migrated from the limbus to the corneal ablation zone and increased 2-fold after 36 hours in all 3 groups compared with baseline. Occasional lymphocytic infiltration was identified after 25 to 36 hours.
Conclusion:
Macrophages play an active role in the wound healing after laser keratectomy and may contribute to transient corneal haze.
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