Effect of the Application of Human Amniotic Membrane on Rabbit Corneal Wound Healing after Excimer Laser Photorefractive Keratectomy

ABSTRACT

We investigated the influence of amniotic membrane application on corneal wound healing after excimer laser PRK in rabbits. PRK of -9.9D with the optical zone of 5.0mm was performed on each right eye of 34 pigmented rabbits and animals were divided into two groups. Preserved human amniotic membrane was applied in 17 eyes to cover the entire cornea for 48 hours(amniotic group) and the other eyes were used as control group. The area of epithelial defect, inflammatory cell infiltration, the number of anterior stromal keratocyte, and corneal haze were evaluated. The epithelium was healed completely within 3 days in all animals and there was no difference between two groups. At postoperative 12 and 24 hours, in amniotic group, the numbers of stromal inflammatory cells were significantly lower(p=0.009) and the numbers of anterior stromal keratocyte were significantly higher(p<0.05) than those in control group. At postoperative 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks, the scores of corneal haze in amniotic group were lower than those in control group(p<0.05) and , at postoperative 12 weeks, the number of anterior stromal keratocyte in amniotic group was significantly lower than that in control group(p=0.002). The application of amniotic membrane after PRK reduces keratocyte proliferation and corneal haze during corneal wound healing process, possibly by reducing infiltration of inflammatory cells and loss of keratocyte in the ablation area during the early postoperative period.