Light Absorption Properties of the Rabbit Corna Repeatedly Irradiated With UV Rays

Abstract

Purpose: : Purpose of this study was to examine the light absorption properties of the cornea repeatedly irradiated with UVA or UVB rays.

Methods: : Adult New Zealand white rabbits were employed. In the first group of rabbits the corneas were irradiated with UVB rays (312 nm), in the second group with UVA rays (365 nm). In both groups of animals the irradiation took place once a day, a dose per day 1.01 J/cm². Some animals of both groups were irradiated once, some other rabbits twice and the rest of rabbits three times. The animals were sacrificed the following day after the last irradiation. Absorbances of corneal centers (a circle of 6 mm diameter) of normal corneas (as controls) and irradiated corneas were measured over a range of 190-650 nm using a scanning spectrophotometer (HELIOSb 84021).

Results: : With the repeated UVB irradiation (not UVA irradiation) corneal light absorption was increasing together with the increase in corneal thickness (elevated hydration) and changes of corneal transparency.

Conclusions: : UVB rays (not UVA rays) changed corneal light absorption properties.

Keywords: cornea: basic science • radiation damage: light/UV • pathology: experimental