An experimental study of amniotic lacrimal duct stents in the treatment of perimenopausal female rabbits with dry eye

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of an amniotic membrane lacrimal stent in the treatment of dry eye syndrome in a perimenopausal rabbit model. In total, 48 healthy female rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (12 rabbits/group): Group A, sham-operated group; group B, negative control group; group C, sham-implantation group; and group D, implantation with amniotic membrane lacrimal stents. A Schirmer I test (SIT), corneal fluorescein staining, optical coherence tomography angiography and corneal confocal microscopy were conducted and the biomechanical properties of the amniotic membrane were measured prior to and 2, 4 and 6 weeks after the operations. There were marked differences in the amount of tear secretion and the SIT following the operation compared with prior to the operation. The amount of tear secretion of group B and C was significantly reduced (F=8.894; P=0.0017). Compared with groups A, B and C, group D demonstrated a significant increase in the amount of tear secretion and a significant reduction in SIT (P<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference between the tear secretion of the A, B and C groups (P>0.05). The cornea epithelial of groups A and D was significantly thinner compared with groups B and C. The superior part [superior temporal (ST)5, superior (S)5, superior nasal (SN)5, ST6, S6 and SN6] was significantly thinner compared with the central part of the cornea epithelium. The corneal epithelia of all groups were thin in the center and thick at the edge. At 6 weeks after the operation, group D exhibited a markedly decreased number of anterior stromal luminescent cells, compared with groups A, B and C. Furthermore, the bending degree of corneal stromal neural trunks was significantly improved, and the density, branches and curvature of corneal epithelium sub-basal nerves ameliorated to a certain extent (P<0.05). Amniotic membrane lacrimal stents demonstrated specific therapeutic effects on dry eye in perimenopausal female rabbits.