Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate the differences of the healing rate of corneal and conjunctival epithelial defects because conjunctival wounds occasionally heal very slowly. We also examined the healing pattern of conjuctival epithelium for a wound with total removal of the conjunctiva down to the sclera. Methods: Albino rabbits were divided into; Group A had a 5 mm circular corneal epithelial wound, Group B had a 5 mm circular conjunctival epithelial wound; and Group C had a 5 mm circular conjunctival wound with total removal of the epithelial and sub-epithelial tissue down to the sclera. The eye was studied by slit-lamp biomicroscopy and stained with fluorescein at 0, 12, 24, 36 hours and 2, to 8 days after the wound. The images of wound healing were analyzed with Scion Image (Scion Corporation). Results: The wound healing time in group A (n=4), group B (n=4), and group C (n=4) was 2.1±0.3, 4.5±0.6 and 6.3±1.0 days, respectively. The healing at the final stage of wound closure was slower in Group C than in Groups A and B. Conclusion: The healing time is slower in conjunctival epithelium than in corneal epithelium. In addition, conjunctival epithelial wound healing becomes even slower with total removal of conjunctival tissue down to the sclera.
Keywords: wound healing • conjunctiva • cornea: epithelium