J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1999 Oct;40(10):2735-2742.

The Effect of Reused Microkeratome Blades on the Corneal Beds

• Kim IT
• Kim HM
• Jung HR

Abstract

To evaluate whether consecutive use of a disposable blade may induce rougher cutting surface, and whether use of different manufacturers'blades may produce different corneal bed smoothness, we performed a round kera-tectomy on twelve enucleated porcine eyes with the automated microkeratome (Chiron Vision Inc.USA)using different blades; 6 eyes with the blade A (Chiron Vision Inc.USA) and the remainder with blade B (Robert S Mears and Ass.USA). Each blade was reused for six consecutive surgeries. Excised corneal beds were examined with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and ultrastructures of the blades were assessed with SEM before and after use, respectively. At the first lamellar cut, the corneal bed cut with blade A and that with blade B were similar in histologic structure. At each additional surgery, the corneal bed cut with blade B showed more roughness and irregularity compared with that with blade A. The edges of the two blades turned out to be more deformed after repeated cuts; especially blade B had more deformed edge. These results revealed that use of different manufacturers'blades in performing keratectomy makes different corneal bed sur-faces, and that repeated use of a disposable blade results in rougher and irregular bed, which may induce postoperative irregular astigmatism clini-cally.

Keyword

Corneal bed; LASIK; Microkeratome blade; Scanning electron microscope(SEM)

MeSH Terms

Astigmatism
Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ