Self-retained Amniotic Membrane for Recurrent Corneal Erosion

Recurrent corneal erosion (RCE) is a common ocular disorder resulting in repeated episodes of pain, tearing, redness, and photophobia, especially in the morning. It is frequently associated with anterior stromal dystrophies, epithelial basement membrane dystrophy, or trauma to the corneal surface, but RCE may also spontaneously occur without any predisposing factor [1,2]. The conservative treatment using lubricants [3], autologous serum [4], and bandage contact lens [5] still has 59%, 27%, and 25% recurrence, respectively. For those who are refractory to these conservative treatments, surgical intervention via debridement, anterior stromal puncture with needles or neodymium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet laser, and superficial keratectomy by excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy becomes necessary [1,2]. Nonetheless, these surgical interventions pose potential risks of postoperative refractive change and visual loss due to scar tissue involving the visual axis [1,2].