Late complications after chemical burns of the ocular surface. Surgical strategies for ocular surface reconstruction

Severe chemical burns of the ocular surface frequently result in long-standing and ongoing disorders of the conjunctiva and the cornea including conjunctival scarring with shortening of the fornix, cicatricial entropion, complications caused by trichiasis and scarring or chronic ulceration of the cornea. Advanced destruction of limbal stem cells leads to limbal stem cell deficiency with conjunctivalization of the cornea. Surgical therapy aims at the correction of malpositioning of the lids, the reconstruction of the conjunctiva and the fornix utilizing applicable tissue grafts and the reestablishment of a stable, avascular and transparent corneal epithelium by e.g. transplantation of epithelial stem cells. Progressive corneal ulcerations unresponsive to medical therapy can be treated by amniotic membrane transplantation, corneal transplantation or by conjunctival covering depending on the extent of damaged tissue. The surgical therapy of patients after severe chemical burns of the ocular surface is generally performed in specialized centers and occasionally requires a multidisciplinary approach