Amniotic membrane (AM) transplantation has been used successfully for the treatment of ocular surface diseases for several years.^1–3 Indications for use of AM at the cornea include persistent epithelial defects, corneal ulcers and chemical burns.^1–3 Surgical strategies for AM placement onto the cornea are suturing AM onto the corneal surface (“patch”), into a corneal defect (“graft”) or a combination of both strategies (“sandwich”).^1–5

All published reports for use of AM in patients are based on the use of sutures. Although most patients can be treated with the suture-based approach, there are several situations in which sutures should be avoided: patients under intensive care, long-lasting corneal epithelial defects causing a cornea too thin to support sutures or sutures may be technically difficult to place in the case of a previous graft, and, in addition, sutures can induce scarring and neovascularisation.⁶ Since the beneficial effects of AM are at least partially mediated by agents released from AM and by AM acting as a natural bandage contact lens,^1–5 we reasoned …