Stromal reaction and repair after corneal alkall wound in the rabbit: a quantitative microradiographic study

Effect of Na-Hyaluronan on Stromal and Endothelial Healing in Experimental Corneal Alkali Wounds

“…The experimental procedure (60-second application of a round 5.5-mm filter paper soaked in 1 N NaOH) used in this investiga- tion was previously established as a model to quantitatively assess epithelial, stromal and endothelial healing following corneal alkali wounds [24][25][26][27]. The wound size and intensity with this model are small enough to avoid stromal melting or vascular ingrowth but large enough to inhibit spontaneous healing to transparency.…”

“…A longstanding recurrent epithelial erosion started immediately after the initial healing [25]. The late stromal and endothelial healing began during the second week and reached the worst state at 3-4 weeks [26,27]. The size of this secondary endothelial breakdown was about 50% of the initial wound size induced by alkali damage [26].…”

“…Stromal healing after corneal alkali wounds involves polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and keratocytes, which contribute to stromal collagen degradation and extracellular matrix synthesis [4,[21][22][23]. Moreover, repair of the stroma after alkali injury is affected by the state of the endothelium [24][25][26][27] which seems to play the most important role(s) in corneal alkali wound healing [24].…”

Effect of topically applied 0.1% dexamethasone on endothelial healing and aqueous composition during the repair process of rabbit corneal alkali wounds

“…The healing processes in the epithelium, stroma and endothelium following corneal alkali wounding (60 sec application of a round 5.5 mm filter paper soaked in 1N NaOH) are interdependent (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Each layer shows a biphasic pattern of repair in the rabbit eyes: an initial short-term healing fol- lowed by a late long-term healing (9).…”

“…Alkali insult to the cornea damages the epithelium, stroma and endothelium and is characterized by a long-term repair process (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). From our previous studies the endothelium appears to play the most important role in corneal alkali wound healing (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Corneal wound healing in response to alkali damage also may be affected by the compositions of the aqueous humor (15,16).…”