Effect of cysteine in transgenic mice on healing of corneal epithelium after excimer laser photoablation.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of prepared cysteine per os in corneal epithelial healing in transgenic mice (B6(A)-Rpe65rd12/J) after excimer laser photoablation.

Materials And Methods: In our prospective case series, 60 eyes of 30 mice had uneventful bilateral excimer laser photoablation. A first group, composed of 15 mice, received standard topical post-operative therapy with tobramycin, diclofenac and dexamethasone eyedrops, plus cysteine 5 mg 5 microg/10 microl phosphate-buffered saline (3 times a day for 1 week) per os or until corneal re-epithelialization was complete.