Figure 3.

Intrastromal injection of HAse transiently altered keratocytes but not endothelial morphology imaged by IVCM. (A) Keratocytes were more elongated and polarized at days 1 and 7 in HAse-injected corneas compared to BSS controls. These morphologic alterations were more severe in the anterior versus posterior stroma. Endothelial cell morphology and density were not affected at any time point in any of the 3 groups. (B) Anterior stromal keratocyte density in the HAse- and BSS-injected groups was significantly reduced at day 1 compared with baseline (P = 0.004 and 0.04, respectively). Posterior stromal keratocyte and endothelial cell densities did not differ by group or time. Results are expressed as mean ± SD. ⁺P < 0.05 compared to baseline in same group, *P < 0.05 between the groups at the same time point; 2-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.