Ocular surface reconstruction.

摘要

The ocular surface disease that results from corneal epithelial stem cell deficiency poses a difficult management problem. From the patient's perspective the eye from has little or no vision, is often cosmetically unsatisfactory, and may be uncomfortable or painful. The clinical consequences are recurrent or persistent epithelial defects that place the cornea at risk of thinning, vascularisation or infection. However, in a proportion of cases the eye may be otherwise healthy with good visual potential. Because the problem is often bilateral, an effective treatment offers a significant gain in quality of life.Corneal epithelial stem cells are located in the basal epithelial layer of the limbus. Epithelial stem cell deficiency can result from chemical or thermal injury, or can develop after acquired inflammation, such as in Stevens-Johnson syndrome or mucous membrane pemphigoid; although the clinical picture of aniridic keratopathy is similar the aetiology is uncertain.