Effects of the holmium laser on the human cornea: a preliminary study

Linda J. Mueller; Marie Jose Tassignon; Rene Trau; Liesbeth Pels; Gijs F.J.M. Vrensen

doi:10.1117/12.260865

5 December 1996 Effects of the holmium laser on the human cornea: a preliminary study

Linda J. Mueller, Marie Jose Tassignon, Rene Trau, Liesbeth Pels, Gijs F.J.M. Vrensen

Proceedings Volume 2930, Lasers in Ophthalmology IV; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.260865
Event: BiOS Europe '96, 1996, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Treatment of peripheral post-mortem human corneas with the Holmium laser in a ring pattern resulted in opaque spots. One pair of treated eyes was immediately processed for light and electron microscopy and three other treated eyes were preserved for 4 days in medium in order to compare direct and short-term effects of the Holmium laser. Cross as well as frontal light microscopical sections of all eyes revealed interconnecting bands between the spots. At the ultrastructural level the anterior corneal tissue within these spots was characterized by coagulation of cells and collagen and shoed either a dramatic distorting effect on the epithelium in the eyes processed immediately or a single layer of flattened multi-nucleolated epithelial cells having more than one nucleolus per nucleus in the eyes stored in medium. Furthermore, the spots showed disturbed Bowman's layer, destroyed keratocytes and collagen fibrils which were either coagulated or organized chaotically. The interconnecting bands contained alternating normal and coagulated collagen fibers. The rest of the cornea outside the spots had a normal appearance. In corneas stored in medium, both keratocytes and epithelial cells over the entire cornea exhibited accumulations of cytoplasmic fibrils and glycogen particles. These phenomena were not observed in non-preserved corneas, suggesting that the differences are due to preservation and not due to the laser treatment. It is concluded that morphological changes occur mainly in the treated peripheral cornea whereas the central untreated cornea remains unaffected,indicating that the Holmium laser is a reliable instrument to treat hypermetropic patients.

Citation Download Citation

Linda J. Mueller, Marie Jose Tassignon, Rene Trau, Liesbeth Pels, and Gijs F.J.M. Vrensen "Effects of the holmium laser on the human cornea: a preliminary study", Proc. SPIE 2930, Lasers in Ophthalmology IV, (5 December 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.260865

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available