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ABSTRACT.Purpose: Hyaluronan concentration in the iris tissue after iridectomy was studied in order to establish the influence of trauma on the production of hyaluronan in the anterior chamber of the eye and whether the iris participates in this process or not.

At the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, keratoconus is the most common indication for penetrating keratoplasty. We studied 77 keratoplasties performed on keratoconic eyes between 1989-1991. Postoperative corrected visual acuity was better than or equal to 0.5 in 65 eyes (84.4%), and 30 eyes (39%) had visual acuity of 1.0. The mean postoperative astigmatism was 3.75 D with a range of 0-12.5 D. Eight patients underwent relaxing incision with satisfactory results in 6 patients. Graft rejection was observed in 6 eyes (7.8%). The most serious complication seen in our group of patients was a retrocorneal fibrous membrane that developed in one patient.

Our findings demonstrate synthesis of hyaluronan by normal and traumatized iris. The iris seems to be the most important source of aqueous hyaluronan.

ABSTRACT.Purpose: To monitor changes of endogenous hyaluronan in the iris tissue and aqueous humor after an isolated trauma to the iris by argon laser irradiation of the anterior surface of the iris. Methods: Iris and aqueous hyaluronan concentrations in rabbit were measured with a radiometric assay at different time points after laser irradiation. Results: Total hyaluronan content in iris tissue increased 3-fold to a peak concentration of 71-72 mg/g at 1 and 2 days after laser treatment. Aqueous hyaluronan increased to a maximum of about 1.6 mg/ml at 2 h and 12 h after laser irradiation of the iris. Conclusions:The iris tissue responds with increased hyluronan synthesis to an isolated iris argon laser irradiation and it seems to be the most important source of aqueous hyaluronan.