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Conjunctival goblet cell changes possible cause of post-LASIK dry eye
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LISBON, Portugal - A transient decrease in the population of conjunctival goblet cells after LASIK, may be associated with post-LASIK dry eye syndrome, one surgeon speaking here suggested.
Ahmed Galal, MD, conducted a prospective, controlled noncomparative study to evaluate this hypothesis in 20 eyes of 10 patients undergoing LASIK for the correction of myopia. He presented the study results here at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting.
Dr. Galal performed conjunctival impression cytology at the superior bulbar conjunctiva and the inferotemporal conjunctiva before LASIK and then 1 week and 1 and 3 months postoperatively.
The samples were stained and examined using optical microscopy with 100x and 200x magnification in order to analyze the cellular density, epithelial morphology and nuclear chromatin matter.
His results showed that the mean preoperative goblet cell density was 485 cells/mm2. Postoperative samples showed a statistically significant goblet cell count decrease to a mean 312 cells/mm2.
By the third month, he said, the cell counts returned to normal in all patients.
“The changes are limited to damage by the suction ring,” he said.