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. 1997 Feb;81(2):141–144. doi: 10.1136/bjo.81.2.141

Oxygen free radical damage in the cornea after excimer laser therapy

S Hayashi 1, S Ishimoto 1, G Wu 1, W Wee 1, N Rao 1, P McDonnell 1
PMCID: PMC1722119  PMID: 9059249

Abstract

AIMS/BACKGROUND—To evaluate the extent of oxygen radical damage in the cornea after excimer laser ablation.
METHODS—The 193 nm argon fluoride excimer laser was programmed for an average fluence of 150 mJ/cm2, with a firing rate of 5 Hz and an ablation zone diameter of 6 mm. Phototherapeutic keratectomy was performed to remove 30 µm of epithelium and 50 µm of stroma from the corneas of New Zealand white rabbits. Oxidative tissue damage after laser was determined by measuring oxidised lipids (conjugated dienes and ketodienes) in corneal lipid extracts, and by fast blue B staining to localise the lipid peroxide in the tissue.
RESULTS—Conjugated diene levels were 3.73 (SD 0.56) nmol per hemicornea in ablated corneas and 1.99 (0.33) nmol per hemicornea in normal corneas (p = 0.0044). Ketodiene levels were 2.72 (0.38) nmol per hemicornea in treated corneas and 0.91 (0.12) nmol per hemicornea in normal corneas (p < 0.001). Fast blue B staining disclosed that the tissue damage occurred primarily on the surface of the ablated cornea.
CONCLUSION—The presence of lipid peroxidation in the superficial corneal stroma in excimer laser treated corneas was demonstrated. This lipid peroxidation could be from oxygen free radicals generated by the infiltrating polymorphonuclear cells at the site of tissue damage.



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Figure 1  .

Figure 1  

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Rabbit corneas were subjected to excimer laser keratectomy with an average fluence of 150 mJ/cm2, a firing rate of 5 Hz and an ablation zone diameter of 6 mm. Conjugated dienes were measured in lipid extracts of the rabbit corneas 24 hours after excimer laser keratectomy. Control corneas were not treated.

Figure 2  .

Figure 2  

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Rabbit corneas were subjected to excimer laser keratectomy with an average fluence of 150 mJ/cm2, a firing rate of 5 Hz and an ablation zone diameter of 6 mm. Conjugated ketodienes were measured in lipid extracts of the rabbit corneas 24 hours after excimer laser keratectomy. Control corneas were not treated.

Figure 3  .

Figure 3  

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Haematoxylin and eosin staining of an excimer laser ablated cornea removed immediately after the treatment.

Figure 4  .

Figure 4  

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Haematoxylin and eosin staining showing the polymorphonuclear cells infiltrating the surface of an excimer laser ablated rabbit cornea 24 hours after excimer laser keratectomy.

Figure 5  .

Figure 5  

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Photomicrograph of a corneal section where fast blue B staining shows lipid peroxide formation on the surface of the laser treated area (arrows) after 24 hours (original magnification × 100).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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