UNLABELLED Staphylococcus aureus is the most important and common pathogen that infects patients following cataract surgery, laser in situ keratomileusis, and photorefractive keratectomy. It is reported to be the second most common pathogen causing bacterial keratitis around the world. Of special concern are increasing reports of postoperative methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) infection. Fo...

PURPOSE The surgical treatment of band keratopathy usually consists of abrasion of the corneal epithelium followed by removal of the subepithelial calcium deposits by means of an ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution. In order to reduce the discomfort and pain that occur after corneal abrasion, the authors developed a modified technique that avoids the abrasion of the epithelium. M...

Keratectomy. By Dimitri Azar, Roger Steinert, and Walter Stark. Philadelphia, PA: Williams and Wilkins; 1997; 214 pp. $79.00. Phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) has been developed to remove superficial corneal opacities and irregularities. In the foreword, Claus H. Dohlman, Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard, whimsically asks the question, “Will a quick shave with the excimer laser solve the...

BACKGROUND To compare the corneal healing response between conventional and phototherapeutic keratectomy through a masking agent, in rabbit corneas. METHODS 24 adult rabbits underwent phototherapeutic keratectomy. Animals were divided in two groups: 12 received photoablation through a masking agent (PALM gel) and the remaining 12 received conventional phototherapeutic keratectomy of equal dep...

PURPOSE The effects of various eye drops on corneal wound healing, particularly in the subepithelial haze area, were investigated histologically following superficial keratectomy in rabbits. METHODS Mechanical superficial keratectomy was performed in rabbit eyes. Tranilast, betamethasone, hyaluronic acid, and diclofenac eye drops were administered after the procedure. Physiological saline was...

The past decade has witnessed the revival of amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) in ophthalmology. The importance of amniotic membrane lies in its ability to reduce inflammation and scarring, enhance epithelialization and wound healing, and in its antimicrobial properties. Amniotic membrane has recently been used as a substrate for culturing limbal stem cells for transplantation. It has als...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The use of "fresh" (hypothermically stored) and frozen amniotic membrane (AM) was compared in a patient with cicatricial pemphigoid with stem cell failure. The viability of both "fresh" and frozen AM epithelial cells was assessed after storage. METHODS AM was stored at either +4 degrees C ("fresh") or at -80 degrees C (frozen). A "fresh" graft was applied to the cornea followi...

BACKGROUND To determine the most effective route of administration of corticosteroids in the treatment of ocular surface disease, by characterizing the difference between oral prednisolone and topical dexamethasone administration using an animal model. METHODS Pharmacokinetic analyses determined the corticosteroid concentrations in the normal ocular tissues of rabbits after oral or topical ad...

PURPOSE To present the long-term results after simultaneous photorefractive keratectomy followed by corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus. DESIGN Prospective, interventional, consecutive case series. METHODS In this study, 26 patients (31 eyes) with progressive keratoconus were included. All patients underwent customized topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy immediately fol...