Prolonged Impairment of Corneal Innervation After Exposure to Sulfur Mustard and Its Relation to the Development of Delayed Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency

Purpose: Ocular injuries after exposure to the vesicant sulfur mustard (SM) are characterized by acute corneal erosions and inflammation of the anterior segment that may be followed by delayed limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), expressed clinically by corneal neovascularization and epithelial defects. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of corneal nerves in the development of the delayed LSCD. Methods: Rabbit eyes were...