Corneal wound healing

Corneal wound healing is a highly orchestrated physiological response that restores the integrity and transparency of the cornea after injury, infection, or surgery. The process is characterized by distinct yet overlapping phases, including epithelial healing, stromal remodeling, and nerve regeneration. Epithelial healing involves the rapid migration and proliferation of limbal-derived epithelial cells to close surface defects, while stromal healing involves the activation of resident keratocytes into fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, which can lead to corneal scarring (haze) if the response is dysregulated. Therapeutic management of this process involves various agents such as lubricants, growth factors like nerve growth factor (Cenegermin), and anti-inflammatory medications to promote re-epithelialization and prevent permanent vision loss from fibrosis or neovascularization. Failure of this process can result in chronic complications like neurotrophic keratitis, persistent epithelial defects, or corneal opacification.

Other names

Corneal healing processCorneal repairCorneal epithelial wound healingCorneal regenerationCorneal stromal repair

Modulation of growth factor signaling pathways (e.g., NGF, EGF receptors), inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to stabilize the extracellular matrix, and reduction of inflammatory cytokine production to promote epithelial closure and minimize stromal fibrosis.