A Case of Corneal Burn During Phacoemulsification

PURPOSE: To report a case of severe corneal burn during phacoemulsification that was successfully managed with a second operation and medical treatment. CASE SUMMARY: An 89-year-old female had phacoemulsification of a mature cataract in her right eye, and was transferred to our outpatient clinic after development of a thermal burn at the corneal incision site. On initial examination, visual acuity was light perception and slit-lamp examination revealed diffuse, severe corneal edema, and a 3.0 x 3.0 mm-sized epithelial defect with severe stromal opacity around the incision site. Extracapsular cataract extraction through superior scleral incision was performed with posterior chamber implantation of a 3-piece hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL). Topical steroids as well as hypertonic saline were used to manage corneal edema postoperatively. One month postoperatively, her best corrected visual acuity was 0.06 and slit-lamp examination showed markedly decreased corneal edema and epithelial defect. Three months postoperatively, her best corrected visual acuity was 0.2, the IOL was centered in the capsular bag, and corneal edema nearly disappeared with remnant moderate corneal opacities. CONCLUSIONS: We report successful treatment of severe corneal burn during phacoemulsification managed with extracapsular cataract extraction through scleral incision and medical treatment.

Corneal Burn Caused by Carbon Dioxide Ultrapulsed Laser for Nevus Removal

PURPOSE: Periocular carbon dioxide ultrapulsed laser surgery can induce ocular damage. Herein we report a rare case of corneal burn after carbon dioxide ultrapulsed laser for nevus removal. CASE SUMMARY: A 25-year-old female patient presented with ocular pain, decreased visual acuity, and metamorphopsia in the left eye after laser surgery for nevus removal at a dermatology clinic 4 days prior. The patient's best corrected visual acuity in the left eye was 20/100. Central corneal haziness and corneal epithelial defect were observed on biomicroscopic examination. Antibiotics, steroid and artificial tear eye drops were administered for treatment. Glasses were prescribed to correct refraction errors. After 2 months of treatment, the best corrected visual acuity in the left eye recovered to 20/50, and corneal epithelial defect was mostly healed, however corneal haziness remained. CONCLUSIONS: Carbon dioxide ultrapulsed laser is commonly used in dermatological treatments. The use of an eye shield is important during this procedure, and possibility of ocular surface damage from laser treatment should be considered.

A Case of Amniotic Membrane Transplantation for Corneal Injury induced by Gramoxone(R)

PURPOSE: We report a case of corneal burn induced by Gramoxone(R), treated successfully with amniotic membrane transplantation. METHODS: A 68-year-old female patient was diagnosed as corneal burn induced by Gramoxone(R) and referred from other hospital after treatment at local clinic for 2 weeks. Severe conjunctival injection, chemosis of palpebral conjunctiva, fibrovascular invasion on nasal side of limbus and cornea, corneal opacity, stromal edema with Descement membrane folding were observed. We performed amniotic membrane transplantation. RESULTS: There were no corneal opacity, symblepharon and lacrimal punctal occlusion on the last follow up after 13 months until operation. Only partial pseudopterygium was found at the inferior nasal portion of cornea and limbus. Corneal thickness of margin of the lesion was 803 um. Refrective examination showed astigmatism, -0.9D, axis 5degrees. Final visual acuity was 0.8 (corrected, 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Amniotic membrane transplantation was simple, short in operation time, no need of additional procedures and it prevents corneal opacity, edema and neovascularization of limbus then, promotes re-epitheliarization of cornea and recovers visual acuity normally in this case.

Effects of laser He-Ne irradiation on the modification of glycogen quantity of the rabbit cornea burned by alkaline solution

Using histochemical method (PAS reaction) and semi quantitative method on the alkaline burned corneal tissue, the Author observed Laser He-Ne inhibits the reducing of glycogen store of the corneal epithelium cells burned alkaline solution. Quantity of glycogen store on the corneal epithelium cells treated by laser He-Ne are much more than the control's every stage of regeneration process. Laser He-Ne increase indirectly the quantity of the glycogen store by reducing inflammation in situ and increasing needs of cell proliferation