Features of inflammatory and regenerative reaction to excimer laser refractive keratectomy with photoprotection

Aim. To study the features of inflammatory and regenerative reaction to excimer laser refractive keratectomy with photoprotection.

Methods. Clinical cases of 560 excimer laser refractive keratectomies with photoprotection in 280 patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism of different severity. The observation period varied from 1 month to 2.5 years.

Results. The study showed that intensity of aseptic inflammation and the type of regenerative response are influenced by the amount of evaporated corneal tissue, which correlates with the severity of myopia. Moreover, in case of equal severity of myopia and amount of evaporated tissue inflammatory and regenerative response was less prominent if excimer laser ablation was performed under the superficial corneal flap. In this case epithelial stromal corneal flap allowed reducing the negative effect of ultraviolet exposure and interaction between proinflammatory epithelial and stromal cytokines. At photorefractive ablation of corneal stroma saturated with 0.25% isotonic riboflavin solution aseptic inflammatory and regenerative response, intensity and duration of corneal syndrome decreased. Due to such technique of photorefractive keratectomy stromal layers saturated with riboflavin absorbed the secondary ultraviolet induced by ablation. Clinical observation demonstrated the need for additional photoprotection by glasses from external unltraviolet in all types of photorefractive surgeries on cornea up to full recovery of visual and optometric parameters. Use of photoprotection during excimer laser refractive ablation allowed achieving early stabilization of vision and refraction, decreasing the duration of postoperative steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs intake by one third in average.

Conclusion. Local photoprotection with riboflavin during excimer laser refractive keratectomy and photoprotection by glasses from external ultraviolet reduce the risk of oxidative stress in the cornea, postoperative aseptic inflammatory and regenerative reactions, promote stabilization of visual, optic refractive parameters and improve their predictability.