Wakayama symposium: new therapies for modulation of epithelialization in corneal wound healing.

Many factors are involved in the corneal wound healing mechanism, including adhesion, migration, and proliferation of corneal epithelial cells. Abnormal corneal wound healing leads to corneal edema, neovascularization, scar formation, and poor vision. Three agents, 17β-estradiol, nicergoline, and β-glucan, have demonstrated positive effects on the wound healing response in laboratory experiments and may be of help in controlling wound healing in corneas that have suffered epithelial damage or have undergone refractive surgery.