Deng Shijing, Wang Mengmeng, Zhang Fengju, Sun Xuguang, Hou Wenbo, Guo Ning
Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, China.
Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, China.
Neural Regen Res. 2012 Jul 15;7(20):1556-62. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.20.005.
A total of 26 myopic patients (52 eyes) underwent laser in situ keratomileusis. In vivo confocal microscopy revealed that most of the regenerated corneal subbasal nerve fibers in the corneal flap originated from the stump of corneal subbasal nerve fibers outside the ablation zone and extended towards the center of the cornea in all patients. Meanwhile, new fibers were also found to directly regenerate from deep in the stroma in some cases. Approximately 94% of regenerated corneal subbasal nerve fibers (73/78 eyes) regrew vertically into the peripheral central 6-mm circle area 1 month after surgery, 78% (28/36 eyes) grew into the central 3-6 mm area at 2 months, and 23% into the central 3-mm circle area at 3 months. In addition, there was no significant difference in corneal subbasal nerve fiber regenerative capacity between the basic fibroblast growth factor group and the 20% (v/v) deproteinized extract of calf blood group. The majority of corneal subbasal nerve fiber regeneration occurred from the stump of corneal subbasal nerve fibers outside the corneal flap, and the remaining growth occurred deep within the stroma.
