Abstract
Purpose :
Corneal endothelial diseases are important indications for transplantation in corneal opacity, which is among the most common causes of blindness worldwide. Building a model to recreate such damage serves as scaffold for research in corneal endothelial transplantation, younger rabbit models (≈3 months) are used for this purpose. In this study we aimed to compare the clinical outcome regarding corneal endothelial damage in white New Zealand rabbits of 18 months with two models of injury: cryodamage and descemetorrhexis.
Methods :
Two white New Zealand male rabbits of 18 months were used for the cryodamage group injuring the right cornea using a microprobe cooled with dry ice in 5 spots (center and quadrants) during 15 seconds each. Two white New Zealand male rabbits were injured by descemetorrhexis performed by a trained ophthalmologist in the right eye. The left eye was left unharmed in each group to serve as control. Damage was evaluated clinically for area and severity of corneal opacity. Photographies were taken before, 24 hours and 48 hours after the damage was done for comparison. Damaged area was analyzed using computer software (Image J).
Results :
Damage was not evident clinically in the group were dry ice cryodamage was used. There were signs of corneal opacity in the first 24 hours (76% and 67%) but the cornea turned completely transparent after 48 hours in both subjects. Both rabbits within the descemetorrhexis group showed clinical signs of endothelium deficiency as soon as 10 minutes, became evident at 30 minutes after the procedure, consolidated after 24 hours (76% and 78%) and increased after 48 hours (84% and 94%).
Conclusions :
Findings demonstrate no consistent clinical evidence of corneal endothelium damage using dry ice cryoinjury as it was seen with descemetorrhexis wich remains to be dethroned as the gold standard procedure for recreating a model of corneal endothelium injury. The creation and validation of an endothelial damage model is the necessary canvas for experimentation in corneal transplantation. Descemetorrhexis in 18-month-old white New Zealand rabbits serves as a suitable model for corneal endothelial dysfunction.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.