Wound healing process after corneal stromal thinning observed with anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to observe the wound healing process after corneal stromal thinning by using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and a slit lamp.

METHODS

Four patients with corneal stromal thinning (2 patients: corneal iron foreign bodies; 2 patients: keratitis) were included. Serial AS-OCT and slit-lamp examinations were used to follow up the progress of these patients. The thicknesses of the whole cornea and the corneal stroma were measured with AS-OCT and compared with the findings observed during the slit-lamp examination.

RESULTS

AS-OCT showed that epithelial hypertrophy and hyperplasia initially occurred in the area of the corneal stromal thinning; subsequently, scar tissue formed in the area with an improvement in the thickness of the corneal stroma. This wound healing process was observed in all 4 patients. The scar tissue initially appeared opaque on slit-lamp examination and was characterized by a high signal produced on AS-OCT, which was different from the normal corneal stroma. The scar tissue gradually appeared clear on slit-lamp examination; however, the high signal on AS-OCT remained.

CONCLUSIONS

AS-OCT can be used to detect the wound healing process of corneal stromal thinning.