Amniotic membrane covering promotes healing of cornea epithelium and improves visual acuity after debridement for fungal keratitis.

Aim: To investigate the effect of amniotic membrane covering (AMC) on the healing of cornea epithelium and visual acuity for fungal keratitis after debridement.

Methods: Twenty fungal keratitis patients were divided into two groups randomly, the AMC group and the control group, ten patients each group. Both debridement of the infected cornea tissue and standard anti-fungus drugs treatments were given to every patients, monolayer amniotic membrane were sutured to the surface of the entire cornea and bulbar conjunctiva with 10-0 nylon suture for patients in the AMC group. The diameter of the ulcer was determined with slit lamp microscope and the depth of the infiltration was determined with anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was tested before surgery and three month after healing of the epithelial layer. The healing time of the cornea epithelium, visual acuity (VA) was compared between the two groups using t-test.

Results: There was no statistical difference of the diameter of the ulcer, depth of the infiltration, height of the hypopyon and VA between the two groups before surgery (P>0.05). The average healing time of the AMC group was 6.89±2.98d, which was statistically shorter than that of the control group (10.23±2.78d) (P<0.05). The average UCVA of the AMC group was 0.138±0.083, which was statistically better than that of the control group (0.053±0.068) (P<0.05).

Conclusion: AMC surgery could promote healing of cornea epithelium after debridement for fungal keratitis and lead to better VA outcome.