Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate central corneal thickness with a non-contact, high speed Optical Low Coherence Reflectometer (OLCR) in the corneas of living rat, mice, and rabbit. Methods: 16 eyes of 8 male Wistar rats, 10 weeks old, 16 eyes of 8 male balb-c mice, 4 months old, and 16 eyes of 8 male rabbits of the Japanese Harlequin strain, 4 months old, were measured. The animals were placed into an adapted chin holder of a regular slit lamp connected with the OLCR measuring system. Each eye was measured twice and their average result used for this study. Every single measurement done by the OLCR consists of 20 scans taken within seconds. BSS solution was administered before the measurements to assure adequate moisturization of the cornea. Results: The overall mean centrall corneal thickness was: rats 159.08 µm (SD14.99µm), mice 106.0 µm (SD3.45µm) and rabbits 356.11 µm (SD14.56µm). The mean central corneal thickness of the right eye compared to the left eye was: rats OD 160.94µm to os 157.23µm (mean difference 3.71µm, SD10.1µm), mice OD 105.58µm to OS 106.43µm (mean difference 0.84µm, SD4.72µm) and rabbits OD 355.85µm to OS 356.37µm (mean difference 0.39µm, SD2.76µm). All measurements in each animal were taken within 5 minutes. Conclusion: With the use of the OLCR we were able to measure the central corneal thickness in rats, mice and rabbits in vivo. Previously published data on rat corneal pachymetry were only based on in vitro measurements and showed a wide range from 120 to 260 µm. Ultrasound pachymetry in rabbits is less precise and have the disadvantage of corneal surface contact. The knowledge of the exact thickness of the cornea in rats, mice and rabbits may prove useful in further refractive, pharmacological and glaucoma studies.
Keywords: 370 cornea: basic science • 369 cornea: clinical science