Sequential confocal microscopy of corneal nerve regeneration in myopia surgery by PRK

Se observan diferentes momentos de regeneración del nervio estromal y del plexo nervioso subbasal, en imágenes tomadas en la misma profundidad con microscopio Confoscan 4® (NIDEK). Los nervios estromales se ubican en el estroma anterior y medio, aparecen como estructuras lineales, delgadas, reflectivas, en varias orientaciones, con patrón dicotómico, no se observan detalles internos de los nervios. En la secuencia se observa el aumento de la reflectividad y longitud del nervio durante el primer año de postoperatorio. Los nervios subbasales están localizados entre la membrana de Bowman y el epitelio basal. Aparecen como estructuras lineales con reflectividad homogénea, aspecto dicotómico en forma de Y, y fibras de interconexión finas en forma de HDifferent moments of regeneration of the stromal nerves and sub-basal nerve plexus are observed in images taken at the same depth with the microscope Confoscan 4® (NIDEK). The stromal nerves are located in the anterior and middle stroma; they appear as linear, thin, reflective structures in different orientations, with a dichotomous pattern. No internal details of the nerves are observed1. In the sequence, the increase in reflectivity and nerve length during the first postoperative year is observed. The sub-basal nerves are located between the Bowman’s membrane and the basal epithelium. They appear as linear structures with homogeneous reflectivity, a dichotomous appearance with a Y shape, and fine interconnection fibers with an H shape1. The absence of lamellar cut influences that after PRK the preoperative characteristics of the sub-basal nerve plexus recover more quickly, and this recovery is complete one year after the surgery. The depth of ablation, the amount of stromal tissue removed and the depth of damage to the stromal nerves are closely relate