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Corneal intrastromal tissue modeling with the femtosecond laser

  • Basic Science
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To determine whether central corneal thinning and flattening can be achieved by intrastromal photodisruption using a femtosecond (fs) laser.

Setting

Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Methods

Fourteen horizontal, parallel intrastromal cuts were performed on rabbit eyes using a fs laser. Full-grown rabbits (group 1; ten eyes) received bilateral treatment. Growing rabbits (group 2) received unilateral treatment (four eyes). Slit-lamp examination, pachymetry, and keratometry were performed on day 9, 31 and 86 (group 1) or on day 12, 29, 69, 176 and 318 (group 2) after surgery.

Results

Nine days after treatment, corneal swelling was present and a slight increase of mean corneal thickness (group 1: +4.40 ± 5.56 μm) as well as a steeper mean corneal curvature (group 1: −0.18 ± 0.02 mm) were observed. In contrast, 1 month after tissue photodisruption corneas showed an average decrease of thickness (group 2: −21.0 ± 2.5 μm). By 6 months post-treatment, a further decrease (group 2: −36.3 ± 6.9 μm) was seen that remained stable for the rest of the observation period. At 176 days post-treatment, a decrease of corneal curvature (group 2: −0.21 ± 0.10 mm) was found. Slit-lamp examination revealed a transparent cornea. At the site of intrastromal photodisruption a narrow band of increased reflectivity could be detected.

Conclusions

Corneal thinning can be reliably achieved using intrastromal tissue modeling with a fs laser. Tissue modeling was accompanied by a transient opacity and irregularity of the corneal surface.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Tobias Kuhn for invaluable technical assistance and for helpful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Martin-Luther-University, Ernst-Grube-Strasse 40, 06120, Halle, Germany

    Christian Meltendorf

  2. Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Christian Meltendorf & Thomas Deller

  3. Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modelling, Health Sciences Center, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Hanns Ackermann

  4. 20/10 PERFECT VISION GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany

    Ulrich von Pape

Authors
  1. Christian Meltendorf
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  2. Thomas Deller
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  3. Hanns Ackermann
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  4. Ulrich von Pape
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christian Meltendorf.

Additional information

Dr. von Pape is a former employee of an involved company.

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Meltendorf, C., Deller, T., Ackermann, H. et al. Corneal intrastromal tissue modeling with the femtosecond laser. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 249, 1661–1666 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1701-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1701-1

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