Microscopía confocal secuencial de regeneración nerviosa corneal en operado de miopía por PRK

Abstract

Different moments of regeneration of the stromal nerves and sub-basal nerve plexus are observed in images taken at the same depth with the microscope Confoscan 4® (NIDEK). The stromal nerves are located in the anterior and middle stroma; they appear as linear, thin, reflective structures in different orientations, with a dichotomous pattern. No internal details of the nerves are observed1. In the sequence, the increase in reflectivity and nerve length during the first postoperative year is observed. The sub-basal nerves are located between the Bowman’s membrane and the basal epithelium. They appear as linear structures with homogeneous reflectivity, a dichotomous appearance with a Y shape, and fine interconnection fibers with an H shape1. The absence of lamellar cut influences that after PRK the preoperative characteristics of the sub-basal nerve plexus recover more quickly, and this recovery is complete one year after the surgery. The depth of ablation, the amount of stromal tissue removed and the depth of damage to the stromal nerves are closely related