Abstract
Purpose :
To observe a porcine cornea after photo-dusruption of the refractive lenticel extraction (ReLEx) pattern irradiation by VisuMax femtosecond laser (FS) by using phase-contrast X-ray CT imaging.
Methods :
Enucleated porcine eyes (n = 4) underwent FS laser irradiation of ReLEx (FLEx or Smile with/without lenticel extraction) pattern. After fixation in 4% paraformaldehyde, cornea was removed, embeded in the agar and observed by phase-contrast X ray CT in a synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8, Hyogo, Japan. Images were processed for three-dimensional reconstruction.
Results :
Double-layered many vacuoles were detected in the corneal strom without lenticel extraction. Flap seemed to be precisely cut in the uniform thickness in the ReLEx FLEx corneal stroma following lenticel extraction. In the stromal bed, bump of the lenticle sidecut was observed. In the cornea after ReLEx Smile procedure, the stromal cap and bed were closely attached and vacuole-like spaces were observed between the stromal wound.
Conclusions :
Phase contrast X-ray CT was well applicable to non-destructive observation of the porcine corneal stroma after experimental FS irradiation. Vacuoles in the stroma seemed to contain gas produced by plasma explosion.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.