ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: An inflammatory response produced by excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) may be associated with the subsequent corneal haze and regressions in refractive error observed after treatment. Complement-derived anaphylatoxins, potent mediators of inflammation, may have a role in postoperative healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty right human donor corneas underwent a 6-D excimer laser PRK treatment. The corresponding left donor corneas served as the controls. After incubation in tissue culture media for 6 hours and elution in phosphate-buffered saline with EDTA for 24 hours, complement-derived anaphylatoxins C3a, C4a, and C5a were measured in corneal eluates by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Compared with control corneas, the excimer PRK corneas failed to demonstrate a significant increase in C3a, C4a, or C5a levels (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the excimer laser at this dose does not activate significant complement in the cornea.
