Excimer laser-assisted corneal epithelial pattern ablation for corneal cross-linking.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To determine corneal cross-linking (CXL) efficacy and chromophore penetration after excimer laser-assisted patterned de-epithelialization.

Methods

Two-hundred-twenty porcine eyes were de-epithelialized ex vivo, either fully (mechanical; n = 88) or patterned (excimer laser; n = 132). Consecutively, corneas were impregnated with hypo- or hyperosmolar riboflavin (RF; n = 20, RF-D; n = 40, respectively) or water-soluble taurine (WST11; n = 40, and WST-D; n = 40, respectively), or kept unimpregnated (n = 80). Sixty corneas were subsequently irradiated, inducing CXL, with paired contralateral eyes serving as controls. Outcome measurements included strip extensiometry to assess CXL efficacy, and spectrophotometry and fluorescence microscopy to determine stromal chromophore

SUBMITTER: Brekelmans J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9291225 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature