Abstract
Purpose: :
to determine keratocyte density by in vivo scanning laser confocal microscopy and determine the effects of a lamellar incision on these measures of anterior cell density.
Methods: :
A series of en face microscopic sections of the cornea were captured from the right eyes of four New Zealand white rabbits using scanning laser confocal microscopy before and six weeks after lamellar incision of the corneal stroma. Keratocyte density was estimated in the anterior (0–75 µm), incision zone (76–150 µm) mid (101–250 µm) and deep (251–400 µm) stromal regions. We determined the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) of these measurements and compared changes in cell density using repeated measures ANOVA.
Results: :
Before the lamellar incision, anterior keratocyte density was: greatest in the anterior stroma (mean ± SE = 38,095 ± 2272 cells/mm3) and reduced with increasing depth (26916 ± 1026 cells/mm3) in the deep stroma. The 95% limits of agreement (mean ± 2 SD) were highest in the anterior stroma (+22,953 to –28,533 cells/mm3) and lower in the deeper stromal regions (+14,023 to –20,882 cells/mm3). Six weeks after incision, mean keratocyte density increased in the incision zone and stroma anterior to the plane of incision, but this change was not statistically significant (p = 0.18).
Conclusions: :
The repeatability of keratocyte density estimation by in vivo scanning laser confocal microscopy is comparable to previous reports using tandem scanning confocal microscopes. These results demonstrate no short–term change in anterior keratocyte density 6 weeks after lamellar incision of the cornea.
Keywords: cornea: stroma and keratocytes • imaging/image analysis: clinical • refractive surgery: LASIK