PURPOSE Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a potent inflammatory mediator the synthesis of which increases in the cornea after injury. The effects of PAF are mediated by receptors (PAF-R), which are present in target cells. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of wound healing, PAF, and growth factors on modulating PAF-R mRNA levels in corneal epithelial cells. METHODS Cultur...

PURPOSE To determine whether subunits of VEGF receptor-1 coupled with an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal can block hypoxia-induced upregulation of VEGF secretion in corneal epithelial cells and block murine corneal angiogenesis induced by corneal injury. METHODS Human corneal epithelial cells, transfected with plasmids encoding Flt23K or Flt24K (the VEGF-binding domains of the Flt-1 re...

The mitotic rate and goblet cell content of conjunctival epithelium following total or central corneal epithelial removal using n-heptanol was measured to determine how the conjunctival epithelium responds to injury and whether conjuctiva responds to central corneal epithelial loss. One day following a wound that removed corneal, limbal, and 1-2 mm of bulbar conjunctival epithelium, the mitotic...

Corneal scarring is due to aberrant activity of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway following traumatic, mechanical, infectious, or surgical injury. Altered TGFβ signaling cascade leads to downstream Smad (Suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic) protein-mediated signaling events that regulate expression of extracellular matrix and myogenic proteins. These events lea...

We read with great interest the recently published article “Extraction of Iron from the Rabbit Anterior Chamber with Reverse Iontophoresis” by Sun et al. [1]. In this experimental study, researchers aimed to use reverse iontophoresis (RI) to extract iron from the anterior chamber noninvasively. However, we think that there are some points that should be emphasized and reconsidered about this st...

Phialemonium keratitis is a very rare case and we encountered a case of keratitis caused by Phialemonium obovatum (P. obovatum) after penetrating injury to the cornea. This is the first case report in the existing literature. A 54-year-old male was referred to us after a penetration injury, and prompt primary closure was performed. Two weeks after surgery, an epithelial defect and stromal melti...

In this minireview, the factors involved in the development of corneal injury due to an increased amount of UVB rays are summarized. Experimental studies have shown that an increased number of UVB rays leads to a profound decrease in corneal antioxidants (high molecular weight, antioxidant enzymes as well as low molecular weight, mainly ascorbic acid) so that a prooxidant/antioxidant imbalance ...

The immediate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) response in the tear fluid was investigated following five different types of corneal injury. All injuries produced significant amounts of PMNs in the tear fluid within the first 6 hr of injury. Histological examination of injured corneas demonstrated that PMNs were attached to the denuded surface but were unable to attach to intact epithelium. To...

corneal ulcer is a major cause of blindness throughout the world. when the cornea is injured by foreign particles, there are chances of infection by the organism and development of ulcer. bacterial infection in the cornea is invariably an alteration of the defense mechanism of the outer eye. it is essential to determine the local etiology within a given region when planning a corneal ulcer mana...

Case reports of six patients having pre-existing corneal irregularities were prepared. They included patients with keratoconus, hexagonal keratotomy, corneal transplant, LASIK, ABMD and previous penetrating injury. Pre and postoperative refraction and topography were analyzed. All patients received biaspheric IOLs and some received corneal or limbal relaxing incisions at the time of the surgica...