Corneal sensitivity and ocular surface changes following preserved amniotic membrane transplantation for nonhealing corneal ulcers

Abstract

In summary, we found that AMT can be helpful for the treatment of epithelial defects and stromal ulcers. We came to learn that cases with total limbal deficiency or extensive ocular surface inflammation may not be cured with AMT alone. AMT provides improvement of corneal sensitivity, tear film stability and impression cytology parameters. However, the entire mechanism of the healing effect of amniotic membrane is still unknown. A recent experimental study revealed that amniotic membrane transplantation vs tarsorraphy in murine HSV-1 stromal keratitis resulted in improvements in substance-P-related corneal nerve fibres in eyes treated with amniotic membrane, but not in eyes treated with tarsorraphy. We think that prospective, controlled, comparative studies of corneal ulcers treated by, for instance, tarsorraphy or other modalities should be performed to investigate whether the beneficial changes of amniotic membrane transplantation are greater or lesser than the changes that might have been observed by an alternative treatment. In this study, we tried to point to the effects of amniotic membrane transplantation on the ocular surface together with the problematic and unresolved issues. Thus, it is our sincere belief that further studies should be carried out along these lines.