Pathophysiology of Corneal Scarring in Persistent Epithelial Defects After PRK and Other Corneal Injuries

It has been generally recognized by clinicians for decades that persistence of a corneal epithelial defect beyond 10 days to 3 weeks after trauma, surgery, infection, or disease usually leads to scarring of the corneal stroma underlying the epithelial defect, although little has been written on the etiology of this disorder. Research over the past decade on the critical role of the epithelial basement membrane in the etiology of stromal scarring (late haze or fibrosis) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or stromal scars after microbial keratitis has provided important insights into

Source: Journal of Refractive Surgery - January 10, 2018 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Steven E. Wilson, MD Source Type: research