Corneal disease

Article Abstract:

The cornea, the transparent tissue through which light initially passes through the eye, is about 12 millimeters in diameter. In the middle, it is about one-half millimeter thick. This small, slender bit of tissue is the subject of an entire subspecialty of medicine. There are many diseases that affect the cornea, and there are many techniques, both medical and surgical, that are used to treat them. Some diseases involve the deposition of abnormal material in the cornea; this may often be observed using the slit-lamp, a sharp light source which reveals deposits in the normally clear cornea. Hypercalcemia may result in calcium deposits in the retina, and Wilson's disease causes deposits of copper forming the characteristic Kaiser-Fleischer ring. Corneal clouding may be observed in several disorders of lipid metabolism. There are a variety of corneal dystrophies that affect only the cornea and are generally inherited as dominant traits. The most common is Fuchs' dystrophy that results in edema, the accumulation of fluid within the corneal tissue. In the December 19, 1991 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers report the results of genetic analysis of American cases of lattice corneal dystrophy type II, which is apparently due to a mutation in the gene for the protein gelsolin. One of the more common conditions confronting the corneal specialist is keratoconus, in which the cornea becomes thinner and distorted. Infections of the cornea may result from a variety of common bacteria, including Staphylococci and Streptococci. Bacterial infections are often associated with the use of contact lenses. Herpes simplex is the most important viral infection of the cornea. Herpes simplex, the same virus that causes cold sores, may set up a latent infection in the ganglion of the trigeminal nerve, which may then erupt in recurrent corneal infections. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Editorial, Genetic aspects

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Treatment of severe ocular-surface disorders with corneal epithelial stem-cell transplantation

Article Abstract:

Corneal stem cell transplants may restore vision in some people with damage to the limbic area of the cornea. The cornea constantly renews itself by shedding old cells and forming new ones. The new cells come from stem cells in the limbic area. If that area is damaged, new corneal cells cannot form and the person eventually becomes functionally blind. Researchers used limbic stem cell transplants in 39 patients who were legally blind from damage to the limbic area. Some also received corneal transplants. Many of the patients could eventually see the top line on an eye chart at 15 feet.

Surgery, Stem cells, Stem cell transplantation, Corneal transplantation

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Topical treatment with nerve growth factor for corneal neurotrophic ulcers

Article Abstract:

Corneal neurotrophic ulcers may respond to treatment with topical nerve growth factor. These ulcers on the surface of the eye are caused by a number of diseases or injuries, and can lead to loss of vision. No effective treatment is currently available. Doctors treated 12 corneal ulcer patients with nerve growth factor, a substance which promotes nerve growth and reverses the effects of nerve injury. All of the ulcers healed, corneal sensation returned, and the patients' vision improved progressively during treatment.

Evaluation, Nerve growth factor, Corneal ulcers

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