Biomaterial Database

Changes in corneal epithelial barrier function after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. 1998

J Y Kim, and J H Heo, and S J Park, and Y S Choi, and W R Wee, and J H Lee

Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul Municipal Boramae, Korea.

OBJECTIVE To use fluorophotometry to measure corneal epithelial barrier function after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). METHODS Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. METHODS Twenty-five eyes of 21 patients (13 women, 8 men) had PRK to correct myopia. Corneal epithelial healing time was measured and corneal epithelial permeability to sodium fluorescein evaluated by fluorophotometry 1, 2, and 3 weeks after surgery. RESULTS Epithelial permeability showed a statistically significant increase 1 week after surgery and returned to its preoperative level 1 week later. Comparative studies according to epithelial healing day and corrected diopter showed results that were not statistically significant (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that PRK delays complete reconstruction of corneal epithelial barrier function. In humans, the corneal epithelium regained its normal barrier function 2 weeks after PRK. Thus, at least during these weeks, care should be taken to minimize further epithelial trauma.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009216	Myopia	A refractive error in which rays of light entering the EYE parallel to the optic axis are brought to a focus in front of the RETINA when accommodation (ACCOMMODATION, OCULAR) is relaxed. This results from an overly curved CORNEA or from the eyeball being too long from front to back. It is also called nearsightedness.	Nearsightedness,Myopias,Nearsightednesses
D002463	Cell Membrane Permeability	A quality of cell membranes which permits the passage of solvents and solutes into and out of cells.	Permeability, Cell Membrane
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D014792	Visual Acuity	Clarity or sharpness of OCULAR VISION or the ability of the eye to see fine details. Visual acuity depends on the functions of RETINA, neuronal transmission, and the interpretative ability of the brain. Normal visual acuity is expressed as 20/20 indicating that one can see at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. Visual acuity can also be influenced by brightness, color, and contrast.	Acuities, Visual,Acuity, Visual,Visual Acuities
D014945	Wound Healing	Restoration of integrity to traumatized tissue.	Healing, Wound,Healings, Wound,Wound Healings
D015590	Fluorophotometry	Measurement of light given off by fluorescein in order to assess the integrity of various ocular barriers. The method is used to investigate the blood-aqueous barrier, blood-retinal barrier, aqueous flow measurements, corneal endothelial permeability, and tear flow dynamics.	Ocular Fluorophotometry,Vitreous Fluorophotometry,Fluorophotometry, Ocular,Fluorophotometry, Vitreous
D054018	Lasers, Excimer	Gas lasers with excited dimers (i.e., excimers) as the active medium. The most commonly used are rare gas monohalides (e.g., argon fluoride, xenon chloride). Their principal emission wavelengths are in the ultraviolet range and depend on the monohalide used (e.g., 193 nm for ArF, 308 nm for Xe Cl). These lasers are operated in pulsed and Q-switched modes and used in photoablative decomposition involving actual removal of tissue. (UMDNS, 2005)	Argon Fluoride Excimer Lasers,Excimer Lasers,Krypton Chloride Excimer Lasers,Xenon Chloride Excimer Lasers,ArF Excimer Lasers,ArF Lasers,Argon Fluoride Lasers,Excimer Laser,Excimer Lasers, ArF,Excimer Lasers, Argon Fluoride,Excimer Lasers, KrCl,Excimer Lasers, Krypton Chloride,Excimer Lasers, XeCl,Excimer Lasers, Xenon Chloride,KrCl Excimer Lasers,Krypton Chloride Lasers,Lasers, ArF Excimer,Lasers, Argon Fluoride Excimer,Lasers, KrCl,Lasers, Krypton Chloride,Lasers, Krypton Chloride Excimer,Lasers, XeCl Excimer,Lasers, Xenon Chloride,Lasers, Xenon Chloride Excimer,XeCl Lasers,Xenon Chloride Lasers,ArF Excimer Laser,ArF Laser,Argon Fluoride Laser,Chloride Laser, Krypton,Chloride Laser, Xenon,Chloride Lasers, Krypton,Chloride Lasers, Xenon,Excimer Laser, ArF,Excimer Laser, KrCl,Excimer Laser, XeCl,Fluoride Laser, Argon,Fluoride Lasers, Argon,KrCl Excimer Laser,KrCl Laser,KrCl Lasers,Krypton Chloride Laser,Laser, ArF,Laser, ArF Excimer,Laser, Argon Fluoride,Laser, Excimer,Laser, KrCl,Laser, KrCl Excimer,Laser, Krypton Chloride,Laser, XeCl,Laser, XeCl Excimer,Laser, Xenon Chloride,Lasers, ArF,Lasers, Argon Fluoride,Lasers, KrCl Excimer,Lasers, XeCl,XeCl Excimer Laser,XeCl Excimer Lasers,XeCl Laser,Xenon Chloride Laser