Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the nerve reinnervation of the implanted lenticule, as well as the corneal modifications after autologous lenticule implantation obtained by SMILE for hyperopia.
Methods :
In this prospective, observational study, five patients (with myopia in one eye and hyperopia in the contralateral eye) who received SMILE in the myopic eye and femtosecond LASIK (FS-LASIK) combined lenticule implantation in the contralateral hyperopic eye were included in the study. Nerve fibers reinnervation in the implanted lenticule as well as microscopic morphological changes in corneal architecture were evaluated by confocal microscopy at postoperative 1.5 month, 2 months, 9 months and 12 months after surgery.
Results :
At 9-month and 12-month follow-up, many thick and tortuous subbasal nerve fibers were visible in the central cornea. At postoperative 12 months, regenerated and branched nerve fibers were detected in the implanted lenticule. Both the anterior and posterior interfaces presented the absence or decrease of keratocytes and the presence of small particles of various brightnessnes. The morphology of Keratocytes in the implanted lenticule presents abnormal in size and shape compared with normal ones at all visits. But at the 9 and 12 months examinations, normal keratocytes were observed. Several small bright particles were observed in the conjunction area between lenticule and recipient stroma with no rejection or haze detected.
Conclusions :
Nerve fibers will regenerate into and dominate the implanted lenticule after autologous lenticule implantation. Keratocytes in lenticules would gradually recover to normal in morphology. The implanted lenticules have good compatibility with the recipient cornea.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.