Rapamycin-loaded nano-micelle ophthalmic solution (RAPA-NM) offers a promising application for preventing corneal allograft rejection; however, RAPA-NM has not yet been fully characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and underlying mechanism of RAPA-NM in inhibiting corneal allograft rejection. An optimized RAPA-NM was successfully prepared using a polyvinyl caprolactam–polyvinyl acetate–polyethylene glycol (PVCL-PVA-PEG) graft copolymer as the excipient at a PVCL-PVA-PEG/RAPA weight ratio of 18:1. This formulation exhibited high encapsulation efficiency (99.25 ± 0.55%), small micelle size (64.42 ± 1.18 nm), uniform size distribution (polydispersity index = 0.076 ± 0.016), and a zeta potential of 1.67 ± 0.93 mV. The storage stability test showed that RAPA-NM could be stored steadily for 12 weeks. RAPA-NM also displayed satisfactory cytocompatibility and high membrane permeability. Moreover, topical administration of RAPA-NM could effectively prevent corneal allograft rejection. Mechanistically, a transcriptomic analysis revealed that several immune- and inflammation-related Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were significantly enriched in the downregulated genes in the RAPA-NM-treated allografts compared with the rejected allogenic corneal grafts. Taken together, these findings highlight the potential of RAPA-NM in treating corneal allograft rejection and other ocular inflammatory diseases.

Purpose. To analyze the clinical characteristics and visual prognoses of patients with ocular trauma treated in Shandong Eye Hospital. Methods. The inpatient data of patients with eye injuries hospitalized in our institution from January 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed, including demographic information, types of trauma, causes of injury, treatment, and initial and final visual acuities. Results. A total of 1,425 patients (1,622 eyes), aged 39.5 ± 18.5 years, were included. The ratio of male to female was 5.3 : 1. Of the mechanical eye injuries, there were 490 (34.4%) open-globe injuries and 454 (31.9%) closed-globe injuries. Nonmechanical eye injuries had 426 patients (29.9%), while 55 patients (3.9%) had adnexal injuries. Over a half of the traumas were work-related (51.1%, 728 patients). Most patients were treated with surgical intervention (1,404 eyes, 87.9%). There were significant differences in the final visual acuities between open-globe injuries and closed-globe injuries (P<0.001), as well as between mechanical injuries and nonmechanical injuries (P<0.001). The final visual acuity was closely correlated with the initial visual acuity (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.618, P<0.001) and the OTS score (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.691, P<0.001). Conclusion. Ocular trauma usually occurs in young and middle-aged men and in the workplace in Shandong Province. The proportion of nonmechanical injuries is high, and the prognosis is poor. A comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of ocular trauma is useful for blindness prevention and treatment.

Purpose: To investigate the surgical procedure and therapeutic efficacy of femtosecond (FS) laser-assisted keratolimbal allograft (KLAL) transplantation in the treatment of eyes with total limbal stem cell deficiency. Methods: Ten eyes from 10 patients who underwent FS laser-assisted KLAL transplantation were enrolled. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ocular surface stability, corneal transparency, and postoperative complications were recorded. Results: The keratolimbal grafts prepared using the FS laser were even in thickness and width. After the surgery, glucocorticoid and tacrolimus eye drops were administered locally to the eyes with concentration gradients, and a medium dose was prescribed for maintenance. Within the mean follow-up period of 16.8 ± 7.3 months, 9 of 10 eyes (90.0%) maintained a stable ocular surface and showed significant improvements in corneal transparency and BCVA. Persistent corneal edema only occurred in one eye because of repeated epithelial defects, and the BCVA of this eye did not improve. Confocal microscopy revealed activated dendritic cells in the Bowman membrane at the limbus, but they were always low in density with small dendritic processes. No acute immune rejection, cataracts, or elevation of intraocular pressure were detected. Conclusions: The FS laser-assisted KLAL technique can produce ring-shaped grafts with an even depth and width, resulting in a stable ocular surface and good visual prognosis. After surgery, glucocorticoids and potent immunosuppressive eye drops were administered locally with concentration gradients and effectively inhibited acute immune rejection.