Abstract
Purpose: :
Purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of UV filter in eye drops (Item T1558) on the rabbit cornea irradiated with UVB rays.
Methods: :
Adult New Zealand white rabbits were employed in our experiments. In the first group of rabbits corneas of both eyes were irradiated with UVB rays (312 nm, a dose per day 1.01 J/cm2), in the second group of animals with UVB rays (312 nm, a dose per day 0.5 J/cm2). In both groups of rabbits the irradiation took place once a day for four days. During the irradiation, the Item T1558 (UV filter) was dropped on the right eye and buffered saline on the left eye. After the end of irradiation (on day four) the animals were left without any treatment for one day and sacrificed (on day five). The central corneal thickness was measured by Pachymeter SP-100 (Tomey Co., Japan) in all rabbits, always before irradiation and also on day five before killing the animals. After the death of animals the corneal centers (a circle of 6 mm diameter) were examined spectrophotometrically over a range of 300-650 using a scanning spectrophotometer (HELIOS b 84021).
Results: :
After Item T1558 the corneal thickness was less pronounced than after buffered saline in both cases - higher as well as lower dose of UVB rays. Also, the corneal light absorption was significantly less pronounced throughout the whole measurable UV-VIS spectral range (mainly in UV region) after Item T1588 than after buffered saline.
Conclusions: :
Comparing the effect of UVB rays on the rabbit cornea on which Item T1558 or buffered saline were dropped during irradiation, the Item T1558 significantly protected the cornea against the damaging effect of UVB rays.
Keywords: cornea: basic science • keratitis • oxidation/oxidative or free radical damage