Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2019, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (4): 557-565.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.247421

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Corneal re-innervation following refractive surgery treatments

Francisco Bandeira 1, 2, 3 , Nur Zahira Yusoff 1 , Gary Hin-Fai Yam 1, 4 , Jodhbir Singh Mehta 1, 4, 5, 6, 7   

  1. 1 Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore
    2 Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
    3 São Gonçalo Eye Hospital, São Gonçalo, Brazil
    4 Eye-ACP, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore
    5 Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
    6 Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore
    7 School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
  • Online:2019-04-15 Published:2019-04-15
  • Contact: Jodhbir Singh Mehta, MD, PhD, jodmehta@gmail.com.

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Abstract:

 Laser refractive surgery is one of the most performed surgical procedures in the world. Although regarded safe and efficient, it has side effects. All of the laser based refractive surgical procedures invoke corneal nerve injury to some degree. The impact of this denervation can range from mild discomfort to neurotrophic corneas. Currently, three techniques are widely used for laser vision correction: small incision lenticule extraction, laser-assisted keratomileusis in situ and photorefractive keratotomy. Each of these techniques affects corneal innervation differently and has a different pattern of nerve regeneration. The purpose of this review is to summarize the different underlying mechanisms for corneal nerve injury and compare the different patterns of corneal reinnervation.

Key words: photorefractive keratotomy, small incision manual lenticule extraction, laser-assisted keratomileusis in situ, refractive surgery, in vivo confocal microscopy, corneal sensation, corneal nerve