Study of the human cornea following excimer laser keratectomy by atomic force microscope technology (CAT#: STEM-SMMT-0002-LJX)

Introduction

The cornea is the transparent part of the front outer wall of the eye. It is rounded, occupies one-sixth of the outer surface, is about 1 mm thick, and consists mainly of vaseless connective tissue. The front of the cornea is slightly raised, curved like a sphere, with refraction. The cornea is rich in sensory nerve endings, and any small irritation, injury or inflammation can cause pain and tears.
Fresh human corneas were irradiated in vitro with an increasing number of impulses emitted by a 193 nm ArF laboratory excimer laser in order to produce either smooth flat surfaces or stair-like formations within the cornea. The corneas were investigated in a Topometrix(R) atomic force microscope in their native state. For comparison, three corneas were fixed with glutaraldehyde and processed for scanning electron microscopy.