Exploring the Healthy Eye Microbiota Niche in a Multicenter Study.

Purpose: This study aims to explore and characterize healthy eye microbiota.

Methods: Healthy subjects older than 18 years were selected for this descriptive cross-sectional study. Samples were collected with an eSwab with 1 mL of Liquid Amies Medium (Copan Brescia, Italy).

Glasses-Assisted 3D Display System-Guided Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty Tissue Preparation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) tissue preparation using a glasses-assisted 3-dimensional (3D) display system and to compare it with a conventional surgical microscope.

Methods: Healthy pairs of human corneas suitable for penetrating keratoplasty surgery were selected for this study. The tissues were randomly divided into 2 groups.

Long-Term Dehydrated Donor Lamella Survival in Anterior Keratoplasty: Keratocyte Migration and Repopulation of Corneal Stroma.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of host keratocytes to colonize the donor lamella transplanted without viable cells (dehydrated) in Descemetic (deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty) and in pre-Descemetic keratoplasty (excimer laser-assisted lamellar keratoplasty).

Method: A total of 17 eyes (8 deep anterior lamellar keratoplasties and 9 excimer laser-assisted lamellar keratoplasties) were included in this observational retrospective study; patients underwent ophthalmic examinations, and histological staining was performed ex vivo on the graft in cases of failure.

Results: In Descemetic keratoplasty, the long-term survival of the graft is compromised with the central corneal thickness decreasing; corneal pachymetry and in vivo and ex vivo keratocyte densities are significantly reduced (pachymetric reduction of -86 μm in the apex and -87 μm in the thinnest point; density cell reduction of 72% at a depth of 100 μm, 62% at a depth of 250 μm, and -66% at a depth of 400 μm).

Excimer laser mushroom penetrating keratoplasty: new technique.

Purpose: To evaluate retrospectively the outcomes of 15 consecutive mushroom-shaped penetrating keratoplasties performed by using excimer laser for both the recipient bed and the fresh donor corneas.

Methods: Fifteen eyes of 14 patients who underwent excimer laser mushroom-shaped penetrating keratoplasty from October 13, 2010, to October 14, 2011, were included in our retrospective study. Eight were men and 6 were women, with a mean age of 31.

The effects of different preservation processes on the total protein and growth factor content in a new biological product developed from human amniotic membrane.

The aim of this work is to quantify the total protein and growth factors content in a tissue-suspension obtained from processed human amniotic membrane (hAM). hAM was collected, frozen, freeze dried, powdered and sterilized by γ-irradiation. At each step of the process, samples were characterized for the total protein amounts by a Bradford protein assay and for the growth factor concentrations by ELISA test of the tissue suspensions.