Histologic, ultrastructural, and immunofluorescent evaluation of human laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis corneal wounds.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate human corneas after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis at different postoperative intervals. METHODS Thirty-eight postmortem corneas from 20 patients with postoperative intervals from 2 months to 6.5 years after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis surgery were collected from eye banks. The corneas were trisected and processed for conventional histologic analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence. RESULTS Light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed focal undulations in Bowman layer, focal epithelial hypertrophic modifications, and a variably thick (range, 0.4-16.4-mum) lamellar stromal interface scar in all specimens. The flap wound margin, which was adjacent to the epithelium, healed by producing an approximately 8-mum-thick hypercellular fibrotic stromal scar, whereas the central and paracentral wound regions healed differently because a thinner (approximately 5-mum) hypocellular primitive stromal scar was present in all the corneas examined. Immunofluorescence identified increased type 3 collagen and myofibroblasts in the hypercellular fibrotic scar regions and decreased or absent levels of all corneal stromal components other than type 1 collagen in the hypocellular primitive scar regions. CONCLUSIONS After laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis surgery, the keratocyte-mediated production of a variably thick lamellar corneal stromal scar occurs, resulting in 2 regional types of scarring. The hypercellular fibrotic scar at the wound margin is usually visible clinically and functions to hold the flap in place, while the more central hypocellular primitive scar is not visible clinically and allows easy lifting of the flap postoperatively.