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Emilio Pedrotti,1 Erika Bonacci,1 Arianna De Rossi,1 Jacopo Bonetto,1 Chiara Chierego,1 Adriano Fasolo,1,2 Alessandra De Gregorio,3 Giorgio Marchini1 1Ophthalmic Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Verona, 37134, Italy; 2Research Unit, The Veneto Eye Bank Foundation, Venezia, 30174, Italy; 3Ophthalmic Unit, San Bassiano Hospital, Bassano Del Grappa, 36061, Vicenza, ItalyCorrespondence: Adriano FasoloThe Veneto Eye Bank Foundation, c/o Pad. G. Rama, via Paccagnella 11, Venice, 30174, ItalyTel +390419656400Fax +390419656401Email adriano.fasolo@yahoo.itPurpose: To determine whether type 1 big-bubble (BB) formation is influenced by the sequence of incisions created with the Victus femtosecond laser (FSL) enabled with software version 3.4 (SV 3.4) during deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK).Materials and Methods: Consecutive FSL-assisted DALK BB procedures were performed on 20 human donor corneas: 10 shaped by tunnel incision followed by lamellar incision (tunnel-lamellar group, TL) and 10 in the reverse order (lamellar-tunnel group, LT). The BB type was assessed by evaluating dynamic air movement during air inflation; bubble diameter and floor thickness were measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography.Results: Overall, a type 1 BB formed in 85% of eyes: 100% in the TL group and 70% in the LT group. In the LT group, a type 2 BB formed in 2 corneas and one cornea was perforated during cannula insertion. Type 1 BB was achieved after one attempt in 90% of eyes in the TL group and in 57% in the LT group.Conclusion: Shaping the tunnel before rather than after lamellar incision may be more effective for obtaining a type 1 BB by air injection.Keywords: deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, femtosecond laser, big bubble, intrastromal incision, lamellar incision

A De Gregorio,1 E Pedrotti,2 G Stevan,1 A Bertoncello,1 S Morselli1 1Ophthalmic Unit, San Bassiano Hospital, Bassano del Grappa, Italy; 2Eye Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy Abstract: The recent development of new devices that are significantly less invasive, collectively termed minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, offers new perspective of intraocular pressure reduction with less risk, short operating times, and rapid recovery. The aim of this work is to provide a panoramic review of the currently published clinical data to assess the potential role of XEN gel stent (Allergan PLC, Irvine, CA, USA) in the management of glaucoma, which is the only filtering minimally invasive glaucoma surgery device that allows the subconjunctival filtration. The ab interno placement of the XEN gel stent offers an alternative for lowering intraocular pressure in refractory glaucoma as a final step, and in patients intolerant to medical therapy as an early surgical approach with minimum conjunctival tissue disruption, restricted flow to avoid hypotony, and long-term safety. Keywords: glaucoma, gel stent, minimally invasive, surgery, subconjunctival drainage

The recent development of new devices that are significantly less invasive, collectively termed minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, offers new perspective of intraocular pressure reduction with less risk, short operating times, and rapid recovery. The aim of this work is to provide a panoramic review of the currently published clinical data to assess the potential role of XEN gel stent (Allergan PLC, Irvine, CA, USA) in the management of glaucoma, which is the only filtering minimally invasive glaucoma surgery device that allows the subconjunctival filtration. The ab interno placement of the XEN gel stent offers an alternative for lowering intraocular pressure in refractory glaucoma as a final step, and in patients intolerant to medical therapy as an early surgical approach with minimum conjunctival tissue disruption, restricted flow to avoid hypotony, and long-term safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To understand whether the preoperative morphology of the posterior corneal surface influences the rate of re-bubbling after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK)., Methods: After retrospectively analyzing the medical records of patients undergoing DMEK, in this multicentric cross-sectional study, we performed a binomial logistic regression analysis to assess significant predictors of re-bubbling and re-transplantation after surgery. Analyzed parameters included the preoperative diagnosis, anterior and posterior surface K1/K2, central corneal thickness, posterior Q value, and other posterior corneal surface parameters evaluated on the elevation maps produced by anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Results were stratified based on the surgeons' experience., Results: We included 202 eyes of 202 patients with a mean age of 69.5 ± 12.4 years; 154 eyes were operated by a high-volume surgeon and 48 by one with less experience; 48 eyes (23.8%) underwent ≥ 1 re-bubbling and 14(6.9%) ≥ 1 re-transplantation. The presence of positive/less-negative posterior corneal irregularities and irregularities with greater absolute height had a significantly higher risk of re-bubbling in both the expert and less expert group (OR = 2.85 and 1.42, OR = 3.22 and 3.01, respectively, p < 0.05), whereas more negative posterior K1 and K2 were significant risk factors only in the former group (OR = 0.67 and 0.55, respectively, p < 0.05). Endothelial decompensation other than Fuchs and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy, more negative posterior Q values and smaller distances between center, and the highest/lowest posterior corneal surface irregularity correlated with an increased risk of graft failure (OR 1.23, 1.21, and 1.29, respectively, p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Posterior corneal surface morphology significantly influences the risk of re-bubbling after DMEK., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The prevalence of obesity, a chronic disease, is increasing, and obesity is now considered a global epidemic. Eye diseases are also increasing worldwide and have serious repercussions on quality of life as well as increasingly high costs for the community. The relationships between obesity and ocular pathologies are not yet well clarified and are not pathologically homogeneous: they seem to be somehow linked to excess body fat, especially to the distribution of adipose tissue and its ectopic deposits., Purpose: Our objective was to examine the associations between obesity and anthropometric indices, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and the waist/hip ratio (WHR), and the risk of most widespread eye diseases, with particular attention given to the most significant metabolic mechanisms., Methods: This article provides a narrative overview of the effect of obesity and anthropometric measurements of body fat on prevalent eye diseases. We used the MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from 1984 to 2024. In addition, we hand-searched references from the retrieved articles and explored a number of related websites. A total of 153 publications were considered., Results: There is significant evidence that obesity is associated with several eye diseases. Waist circumference (WC) and the waist/hip ratio (WHR) have been observed to have stronger positive associations with eye diseases than BMI., Conclusions: Obesity must be considered a significant risk factor for eye diseases; hence, a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach to treating obesity, which also affects ocular health, is important. In the prevention and treatment of eye diseases related to obesity, lifestyle factors, especially diet and physical activity, as well as weight changes, both weight loss and weight gain, should not be overlooked., Level of Evidence: Level V narrative review., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To review the literature focusing on the clinical outcomes of KeraKlear (KK) (KeraMed), a foldable intrastromal keratoprosthesis., Methods: We searched 6 databases using 4 keywords: KeraKlear, Foldable Keratoprosthesis, Intrastromal Keratoprosthesis, and Non-penetrating Keratoprosthesis. Included studies had to be conducted in vivo on humans, published until January 3, 2023, and had to investigate the implantation of the KK. Eyes were considered at high risk of keratoprosthesis retention failure whenever there was an active inflammatory ocular surface disorder or in case of previous KK failure. We aimed at recording the postoperative complications, rate of prosthesis retention, and mean improvements in visual acuity., Results: We identified 144 publications, 6 of which (38 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. No randomized controlled trials were found, and some studies had significant limitations regarding sample size and follow-up duration. With a mean follow-up of 28 ± 18.8 months, postoperative complications of any kind occurred between 0% and 50% and 24% had an implant extrusion/needed a reoperation. The mean postoperative visual acuity improvement on the last follow-up was -0.83 ± 0.27 LogMAR, that is, -0.57 ± 0.3 for high-risk and -1.03 ± 0.25 for low-risk eyes, whereas 1 year after implantation, 50% of the prostheses were retained in the former and 81% in the latter group. None of the eyes developed glaucoma, endophthalmitis, or expulsive hemorrhages; none had to be eviscerated/enucleated., Conclusions: Despite the limited quality and quantity of evidence, the available literature seems to suggest the KK to be a valuable tool in the treatment of complicated corneal disorders. Because in many parts of the world, the access to corneal transplantation is limited, this prosthesis could represent a valid alternative., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects neurobehavioral, cognitive, and cardiovascular aspects, particularly in children, by obstructing the upper airways during sleep. While its impact in adult ocular health is recognized, there is ongoing debate about OSA's relevance in pediatrics. This review explores the relationship between OSA and ocular health in children, focusing on the effects and potential improvements through treatment. A systematic search found 287 articles through PubMeD/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect; 94.4% were excluded. After careful selection, six English articles were included, addressing the effects of OSA on children's eyes. Three studies examined choroidal alterations, three explored retinal and optic nerve changes, and two analyzed ocular changes following otorhinolaryngological intervention. The immediate correlation in children is inconclusive, but age may be a contributing factor. Pediatric OSA patients exhibit corneal anomalies and increased optic nerve thickness, possibly due to intermittent hypoxia. OSA influences retinal vascular density in children, with increased density after treatment and reduced choroidal thickness in cases of adenotonsillar hypertrophy. This review emphasized OSA's significant impact on children's ocular health, revealing alterations in the optic nerve, choroid, retina, and cornea. While the direct correlation with the optic nerve is not always evident, OSA raises intraocular pressure and induces structural changes. Treatment holds promise, highlighting the need for regular monitoring to promptly address childhood OSA.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of the meniscus-shaped stromal lenticule addition keratoplasty (MS-SLAK) in corneal regularization and thickness., Methods: Patients waiting for deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty for advanced keratoconus with an intolerance to contact lenses (CLs) underwent the MS-SLAK procedure by FSL 80 kHz ablation (VICTUS, Technolas Perfect Vision, DE). Customized positive meniscus-shaped stromal lenticules were obtained and implanted. Examination was performed at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up and included corrected distance visual acuity both with spectacles and CLs (spectacle CDVA and CL-CDVA), manifest refraction spherical equivalent, slit-lamp examination, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, corneal topography, and in vivo confocal microscopy., Results: Fifteen patients completed the study. Statistical increases in corneal thickness values were found from the first follow-up ( P < 0.001). Improvement in the Surface Asymmetry Index ( P = 0.04), Symmetry Index ( P = 0.02), spherical aberration ( P < 0.001), coma ( P = 0.18), high-order aberration ( P = 0.37), and anterior asphericity index (Q) ( P = 0.31) were found at 12 months. At the 12-month follow-up, no improvement were found in spectacle CDVA ( P = 0.23); however, all patients reported CL wearing tolerance recovery, and significant improvement in CL-CDVA ( P = 0.002) was found. The confocal microscopy at 12 months showed a significant increase in keratocyte density within the lenticule and absence of fibrotic reactions in both anterior and posterior interfaces., Conclusions: MS-SLAK seems to be effective in regularizing the corneal surface as showed by the significant improvement in topographic symmetry indices, coma, and high-order aberration. The corneal regularization is also confirmed by the results in anterior Q and the recovery of the CL wearing tolerance., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest statement: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate corneal biomechanical changes after meniscus-shaped stromal lenticule addition keratoplasty (MS-SLAK) performed for the treatment of keratoconus., Methods: This interventional study included patients affected by advanced keratoconus (stage III and IV) who underwent examination with a dynamic Scheimpflug analyzer and non-contact tonometer (Corvis ST; Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH) at baseline and 12 months after MS-SLAK. The biomechanical parameters evaluated in this study were integrated inverse radius (1/R), deformation amplitude ratio (DA ratio), stiffness parameter at first applanation (SP-A1), biomechanical intraocular pressure (bIOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and stress-strain index (SSI)., Results: Sixteen patients were enrolled in the study. The analysis was ultimately conducted on 15 patients. Comparative analyses showed an increase in corneal stiffness as demonstrated by a rise in SSI ( P < .0001) and SP-A1 ( P < .0001) and a decrease in DA ratio ( P < .0001) and 1/R ( P = .01). A significant increase in CCT was found ( P < .0001). No statistically significant modification was found for bIOP ( P = .43)., Conclusions: The corneal biomechanical analyses evaluated by the Corvis ST showed that MS-SLAK for advanced keratoconus is able to increase corneal overall stiffness. This result is explained by the significant increase in thickness induced by MS-SLAK. [ J Refract Surg . 2023;39(7):499-504.] .

Purpose: To evaluate visual performance and quality of life after bilateral implantation of 2 extended depth-of-focus intraocular lenses (EDOF IOLs)., Setting: Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Italy, and Ophthalmic Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy., Design: Prospective clinical study., Methods: 60 eyes of 30 patients with senile cataract were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent phacoemulsification and bilateral implantation of the Mini WELL IOL in the dominant eye and the Mini WELL PROXA IOL in the nondominant eye within a month. The main outcome measures over a 3-month follow-up period were uncorrected and corrected visual acuity at different distances (33 cm, 60 cm, and 4 m), defocus curve, contrast sensitivity, and patient satisfaction (evaluated by mean of the National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality-of-Life instrument-42 questionnaire)., Results: Binocular uncorrected visual acuity at 90 days was 0.03 ± 0.11 logMAR for long distance, 0.05 ± 0.10 logMAR for intermediate distance, 0.03 ± 0.08 logMAR at 40 cm, and 0.06 ± 0.08 logMAR at 33 cm. Statistically significant differences between the 2 EDOF IOLs in favor of Mini WELL PROXA IOL were observed for uncorrected near visual acuity at 40 and 33 cm ( P < .001 and P < .001, respectively) and for distance-corrected near visual acuity at 40 cm ( P < .001). Significant differences between the 2 IOLs in the defocus curves were reported., Conclusions: In this small pilot study, bilateral implantation of Mini WELL IOL and Mini WELL PROXA IOL achieved good quantity and quality of vision., (Copyright © 2023 Published by Wolters Kluwer on behalf of ASCRS and ESCRS.)

Purpose: To investigate the theoretical hydrodynamic effects of a single or a double XEN 45 Gel Stent (XEN45) implant in glaucomatous eyes., Methods: A prospective non-randomized clinical study on 63 glaucomatous eyes of 63 patients. The preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) values after 14 days of medical therapy washout was correlated to the postoperative IOP values 7 and 45 days after the implant of a XEN45. A mathematical model based on the Hagen-Poiseuille law was designed to assess the residual aqueous humor outflow (AHO) facility in glaucomatous eyes in function of the postoperative IOP reduction. Using XEN45 as unit of measurement, we transformed through equations the residual preoperative AHO in XEN45 equivalent in order to establish theoretical number of stents needed to reach the target IOP., Results: The mean preoperative washout IOP was 28.9 ± 5.4 mmHg, after 7 and 45 days the mean postoperative IOP was 12.6 ± 4.3 and 15.3 ± 4.4 mmHg, respectively (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between preoperative and postoperative IOP values. We obtained a mathematical relationship to estimate the theoretical number of XEN45 stents needed to reach the target IOP., Conclusion: The basal IOP (after medical therapy washout) is a predictive factor for the surgical success after a XEN45 implant. Establishing the residual preoperative AHO it is possible to predict the theoretical number of stents to implant. A double XEN45 implant could be considered a possible further tool to reach the target IOP in patients with severe AHO deficiency., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: To analyze the objective and subjective visual performances of a new hybrid refractive/aspheric extended depth of focus (EDOF) intraocular lens (IOL)., Methods: In this monocentric prospective study patients with bilateral cataracts underwent cataract surgery and were implanted with a Lucidis IOL (SAV-IOL SA, Neuchâtel, Switzerland) in both eyes, 1 week apart from each other. At 3 months from implantation postoperative evaluations included monocular and binocular uncorrected and distance-corrected distant (4 m), intermediate (80 cm, 67 cm) and near (40 cm) visual acuities (UDVA/DCVA, UI80-67VA/DCI80-67VA, UNVA/DCNVA), binocular defocus curves, halometry, contrast sensitivity and objective quality-of-vision measurements. Also, patients were also asked to complete the national eye institute refractive error quality of life (NEI-RQL-42) questionnaire., Results: Twenty-five patients (50 eyes) were included. The mean postoperative binocular UDVA, UI80VA, UI67VA and UNVA were-0.02 ± 0.13, 0.05 ± 0.09, 0.05 ± 0.08 and 0.03 ± 0.1 LogMar, and did not significantly differ from their corrected counterparts. On binocular defocus curves a VA ≥0.05LogMar was found between +0.50 and - 2.50 D of vergence, whereas the mean distance from the central stimulus on halometry was 1.23 ± 0.01. Mean ocular and corneal radical mean square at 4 mm were 0.31 ± 0.28 and 0.19 ± 0.07, respectively; whereas the mean Strehl ratio was 0.2 ± 0.09., Conclusion: Lucidis IOLs demonstrated excellent visual performances, especially at close distances while maintain good quality of vision, contrast sensitivity, and overall patient-satisfaction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Pedrotti, Bonacci, Kilian, Pagnacco, Anastasi, Ventura and Marchini.)

Post-infectious immune-mediated neurological complications of Sars-Cov-2 have been increasingly recognized since the novel pandemic emerged. We describe the case of a 74 years-old patient who developed a Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis a few weeks after paucisymptomatic COVID-19 disease and, subsequently, after the resolution of the optic neuritis, an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. So far, no cases of these two neurological manifestations have been reported in the same patient. We herein report a case characterized by both manifestations and review the accumulating literature regarding MOG antibody-associated disease following SarsCov-2 infection., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The Authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to the manuscript. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the astigmatism tolerance and the visual outcomes after implantation of a premium intraocular lens (IOL) with a continuous transitional focus (Precizon Presbyopic; Ophtec BV) in pseudophakic presbyopia correction., Methods: This prospective study enrolled 20 patients (40 eyes) after bilateral phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. Corrected and uncorrected visual acuities at 4 m and 80, 67, and 40 cm (CDVA, UDVA, DCI80VA, UI80VA, DCI67VA, UI67VA, DCNVA, and UNVA), astigmatic and spheric defocus curve, mean reading speed (MRS), critical print size (CPS), contrast sensitivity, optical aberrations (modulation transfer function [MTF] cut-off, Strehl ratio, and higher order aberration root mean square [HOA RMS]), objective halometry, and National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life Instrument 42 [NEI RQL-42] questionnaire were evaluated 3 months after surgery., Results: Astigmatic defocus curves revealed a tolerance up to -1.00 and +0.75 diopters (D) for with-the-rule astigmatism, and up to -1.00 and +1.00 D for against-the-rule astigmatism. Binocular spheric defocus curve showed that the mean visual acuity was greater than 0.15 logMAR from 1.00 to -1.00 D. MRS, CPS, MTF cut-off, Strehl ratio, and HOA RMS were 116.97 ± 21.94 words/min, 0.45 ± 0.06 logRDA, 20.03 ± 4.86 cycles/degree, 0.11 ± 0.07, and 0.28 ± 0.09, respectively. Contrast sensitivity was within the normal range for all tested light conditions. The NEI RQL-42 evidenced high subjective satisfaction for all subscales, especially for far vision, activity limitations, dependence on correction, suboptimal correction, appearance, and satisfaction with correction., Conclusions: The Precizon Presbyopic IOL allows good astigmatism tolerance and both objective and subjective high quality of vision. [ J Refract Surg . 2023;39(1):33-39.] .

Background: Early ocular neurodegenerative signs of diabetic neuropathy (DN) can be found in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). No data are available on the potential role of polymorphisms in miRNAs genes in predisposing T1D subjects to these signs., Aims: To determine whether MIR146A rs2910164 and MIR128A rs11888095 polymorphisms are associated with early retinal and corneal neurodegenerative changes in pediatric patients with T1D., Methods: A total of 140 T1D children/adolescents underwent spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) with measurement of retinal and corneal nerve fiber parameters. Risk factors for diabetes complications (diabetes duration, blood pressure, HbA1c) were recorded. Genotyping of rs2910164 and rs1188095 SNPs and genotype-phenotype association analysis were performed., Results: The C allele of rs2910164 in MIR146A was associated with higher values of IVCM parameters and minimum rim width (MRW) of the peripapillary region of optic nerve head measured in the retina, whereas the T allele of rs1188095 in MIR128A was associated with a significant impairment of them. Multiple regression analysis showed that MIR146A and MIR128A polymorphisms were significantly associated with corneal nerve fiber length (beta = 0.225 and - 0.204, respectively) and other IVCM parameters, independently from age, diabetes duration, HbA1c and systolic blood pressure percentile. Similar results were found for MRW (beta = 0.213 and - 0.286, respectively)., Conclusions: These results provide new insight into the genetic predisposition to DN showing that two polymorphisms in MIR146A and MIR128A genes could significantly contribute to the development of early ocular preclinical signs of DN., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of a new method of conjunctival transplantation to achieve recovery of the normal conjunctival epithelium over the bare sclera after pterygium excision and prevent its recurrence., Methods: After excision of the primary pterygium, we performed simple conjunctival epithelial transplantation (SCET) in which we glued an amniotic membrane patch pre-loaded with tiny autologous conjunctival tissue fragments over the scleral defect. Slit-lamp evaluation was performed at 2 and 7-10 days, and then at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, together with confocal microscopy at 3, 6, and 12 months., Results: Surgical excision and SCET for nasal primary pterygium were performed in 6 eyes (6 patients). No graft detachment occurred. An inflammatory granuloma was excised without sequelae in one patient 2 months after surgery. No signs of recurrence or sight-threatening complications were recorded at 12 months, and in vivo confocal microscopy showed progressive expansion of the conjunctival cell population and formation of a clear corneal-conjunctival transition., Conclusions: SCET takes advantage of the ability of the amniotic membrane and conjunctival cells to renew. Outcomes after SCET are comparable to conventional conjunctival flap surgery and can be achieved in less surgical time and with less donor tissue to be removed., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Transplantation of ex vivo cultured conjunctival cell layers, generated on amniotic membrane or other scaffolds, provides a viable option in treating heterogeneous ocular surface conditions. By comparison, cell therapy is costly, labour-intensive and subject to good manufacturing practice requirements and regulatory approval; no conjunctival cell-based therapy is currently available. Several techniques are available after primary pterygium excision to recover the ocular surface anatomy by restoring healthy conjunctival epithelium and preventing recurrence and complications. However, application of conjunctival free autograft or transpositional flap to cover the bared scleral area is limited when the conjunctiva are to be spared for future glaucoma filtering surgery, in patients with large or double-headed pterygia, in recurrent pterygia, or when the harvesting of donor conjunctival is precluded by scarring., Aim: To develop a simple technique to obtain expansion of the conjunctival epithelium when applied in vivo in diseased eyes., Methods: We evaluated in vitro the best way of gluing conjunctival fragments over the AM, the efficiency of the fragments to generate conjunctival cell outgrowths, the molecular marker expression, and the feasibility of shipping preloaded AM.We performed simple conjunctival epithelial transplantation (SCET) in which we glued an amniotic membrane patch pre-loaded with autologous conjunctival tissue fragments over the scleral defect after pterygium excision and evaluated the recovery of the normal conjunctival epithelium and the disease recurrence up to 12 months after surgery., Results: 65-80% of fragments generated outgrowth 48-72h after gluing, without differences between type of AM preparation and fragment size. Within 6-13 days, a full epithelium covered the surface of the amniotic membrane. Specific marker expression (Muc1, K19, K13, p63, ZO-1) was detected. The shipping test showed after 24h the 31% of the fragments glued over the AM epithelial side, compared to more than 90% of fragments stayed attached in the remaining conditions (stromal side, stromal without spongy layer, epithelial side without epithelium).Surgical excision and SCET for nasal primary pterygium were performed in 6 eyes/patients. No graft detachment and recurrence occurred within 12 months. In vivo confocal microscopy showed progressive expansion of the conjunctival cell population and formation of a clear cornea-conjunctiva transition., Conclusions: We established the most suitable conditions for a novel strategy based on in vivo expansion of conjunctival cells from conjunctival fragments glued over the AM. The application of SCET seems to be effective and replicable for the renewal of conjunctiva in patients requiring ocular surface reconstruction., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)