Analysis of cellular factors driving predisposition for corneal haze in patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy

Session Details

Session Title: Photoablation Outcomes II

Session Date/Time: Wednesday 09/09/2015 | 08:00-09:30

Paper Time: 08:24

Venue: Room 1

First Author: : P.Bhandary INDIA

Co Author(s): :    D. Shetty   N. Pahuja   C. Sharma   A. Ghosh           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To analyze gene expression of biomarkers contributing to development of corneal haze post Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) by using corneal epithelium collected introperatively.

Setting:

1. Refractive Department, Narayana Nethralaya, Bangalore, India. 2. GROW Research Laboratory, Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, Bangalore, India

Methods:

4 eyes of 2 patients who developed corneal haze post PRK and 6 eyes of 3 age/sex matched patients who served as controls were included in our study. Intraoperatively collected corneal epithelium of each of these patients was analyzed for inflammatory markers, corneal structural genes, fibrosis associated genes and regulators of signalling cascade by quantitative real-time PCR. Gene expression microarrays were performed for the mRNA samples.

Results:

Mean age of cases and controls was 26 and 28 years respectively. Mean spherical equivalent of cases and controls was -3.37D and -2.38D respectively. The data demonstrate reduced Collagen I and Collagen IV expression in haze patients, along with TIMP1, MMP2 and MMP14. The regulators of signalling pathways such as EGFR and Wnt3a also showed reduction. However, higher TNFα levels were observed whereas IL6 and IL1 changes were not substantial. Global expression patterns are being further analyzed by microarrays.

Conclusions:

Molecular status of the corneal epithelium plays a role in the development of corneal haze post PRK. Our study shows that screening of patients for specific corneal biomarkers prior to the surgery may help foresee the development of haze and these deregulated biomarkers could in future be targeted for management of post-PRK corneal haze.

Financial Interest:

NONE