PURPOSE: The study was performed to evaluate and optimize a novel technique to close stellate corneal lacerations in a wet laboratory environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one ex vivo porcine eyes with standardized, experimentally created stellate corneal lacerations were assigned to one of three surgical repair techniques. In Group 1 (n = 9), lacerations were closed with simple interrupted sutures only. In Group 2 (n = 7), a large-radius central purse string was used in addition to simple interrupted sutures. In Group 3 (n = 5), a small-radius central purse string was used in addition to simple interrupted sutures. Wound stability was assessed by determining the intraocular pressure (IOP) at which wound leak occurred. RESULTS: Group 3 eyes demonstrated a mean wound leak IOP of 56.1 mm Hg (range 32-90.3) compared with groups 1 and 2, which demonstrated mean wound leak IOPs of 6.4 mm Hg (range 1.9-19) and 13.3 mm Hg (range 2.8-31), respectively. These differences were highly statistically significant ( P <
0.002 and P <
0.015, respectively, compared with Group 3). DISCUSSION: The use of a small-radius internal purse-string suture, when combined with simple interrupted sutures, produced a highly effective watertight closure in experimentally created stellate corneal lacerations, significantly outperforming approaches using only interrupted sutures or a large-radius purse string. The use of a small-radius purse-string suture should be considered for clinical use in the repair of stellate corneal lacerations.