Photographs of anterior segments (A) and central corneal thickness data (CCT; B).

<p>A. Chemical injury of the cornea causes severe corneal edema and endothelial damage immediately after chemical injury. Slit lamp examination shows severe edematous and opaque cornea, and Descemet’s membrane folds. Endothelial cells are absent under specular microscopy. Corneal edema is reduced from the periphery to the center over time. Case 1 shows severe corneal edema and Descemet’s membrane fold immediately after injury, central edema and peripheral transparency 1 month after injury, and a clear cornea 6 months after injury. Case 2 shows severe corneal edema and Descemet’s membrane folds immediately after injury; the cornea becomes more transparent from periphery 1 month after injury. Case 3 shows severe corneal edema and Descemet’s membrane folds immediately after injury and the cornea becoming clear from the periphery 1 month after injury. This case also shows transparency of the central edema and periphery 6 months after injury. B. CCT is greater immediately after injury but decreases significantly 6 and 9 months later (p = 0.014 and 0.012, respectively, paired t-test) * Statistically significant by paired t-test