The treatment of patients with severe ocular-surface diseasehas been largely unsuccessful. Superficial keratectomy (theexcision of abnormal cells on the corneal surface) can leadto invasion of the corneal surface by goblet cells derived fromthe conjunctiva ("conjunctivalization"). Standard proceduresof corneal transplantation (penetrating or lamellar keratoplasty)provide a stable ocular surface only for as long as the donorepithelium survives. After the inevitable sloughing of the donorepithelium, conjunctivalization will occur.
The ocular surface is composed of the tear film and the epitheliumof the cornea and conjunctiva. Stratified, nonkeratinized epitheliumcovers the entire cornea as well as . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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