Does Fluid Temperature Affect Corneal Endothelium-Descemet Membrane Scroll Formation? An In Vitro Study

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether unfolding time of Descemet membrane (DM) graft rolls changes at various fluid temperatures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was prospective, ex vivo, and experimental. The study was conducted at the tertiary center for corneal disease in Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital between June 2014 and June 2015. DMs were divided into 4 categories according to baseline roll tightness and these were distributed among 4 different groups using 4 different balanced salt solution (BSS) temperatures (8, 16, 23, and 36 °C). Sixteen donor corneas were obtained from the hospital eye bank. RESULTS: DM roll formations may vary according to the donor cornea received. Some form tighter rolls while others can form a more open roll. No differences in roll tightness were observed in any of the DM rolls after 5 or 10 minutes in the different BBS temperatures. In all groups, neither tightening nor opening was observed in DM roll formations. CONCLUSION: Different BSS temperatures were found to have no effects on DM unfolding time in this study.