Spectral Dependence of Light Exposure on Retinal Pigment Epithelium Disruption in Living Primate Retina.

Purpose: RPE disruption with light exposures below or close to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) photochemical maximum permissible exposure (MPE) have been observed, but these findings were limited to two wavelengths. We have extended the measurements across the visible spectrum.

Methods: Retinal imaging with fluorescence adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (FAOSLO) was used to provide an in vivo measure of RPE disruption at a cellular level.

Impact of topical anti-fibrotics on corneal nerve regeneration in vivo.

Recent work in vitro has shown that fibroblasts and myofibroblasts have opposing effects on neurite outgrowth by peripheral sensory neurons. Here, we tested a prediction from this work that dampening the fibrotic response in the early phases of corneal wound healing in vivo could enhance reinnervation after a large, deep corneal injury such as that induced by photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Since topical steroids and Mitomycin C (MMC) are often used clinically for mitigating corneal inflammation and scarring after PRK, they were ideal to test this prediction.

Corneal myofibroblasts inhibit regenerating nerves during wound healing.

Abnormal nerve regeneration often follows corneal injury, predisposing patients to pain, dry eye and vision loss. Yet, we lack a mechanistic understanding of this process. A key event in corneal wounds is the differentiation of keratocytes into fibroblasts and scar-forming myofibroblasts.

Validation of diffuse correlation spectroscopy sensitivity to nicotinamide-induced blood flow elevation in the murine hindlimb using the fluorescent microsphere technique.

Nicotinamide has been shown to affect blood flow in both tumor and normal tissues, including skeletal muscle. Intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide was used as a simple intervention to test the sensitivity of noninvasive diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) to changes in blood flow in the murine left quadriceps femoris skeletal muscle. DCS was then compared with the gold-standard fluorescent microsphere (FM) technique for validation.