Corneal melting after acute ultraviolet radiation exposure: an animal model

Session Details

Session Title: Cornea
Session Date/Time: Sunday 28/02/2016 | 08:30-11:00
Paper Time: 09:42
Venue: MC2 Room
First Author: : M.Kronschläger AUSTRIA
Co Author(s): :    N. Talebizadeh   Z. Yu   S. Lofgren   O. Findl     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

There have been case reports of corneal melting after corneal cross-linking. The purpose of the study was to evaluate toxicity of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the rat cornea.

Setting:

Vienna Institute for Research in Ocular Surgery, Department of Ophthalmology, Hanusch Hospital, Vienna

Methods:

In vivo exposure of 16 Sprague Dawley rats to 0.56 mW/cm^2 UVR (λmax: 300 nm; λ0.5: 10 nm) for 15 min was performed. Contralateral control eyes were shielded during exposure. The animals were then separated into 4 latency groups and sacrified 1, 5, 24 and 120 h post exposure. Eye globes were taken and analysed for apoptosis with the TUNEL method. Additionally, H&E staining was used for revealing histopathological changes.

Results:

All 3 corneal layers presented apoptosis 5 h after UVR exposure with a peaking signal at 24 h. Corneal melting together with a stromal neutrophil infiltration appeared at 120 h after exposure.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, UVB exposure causes corneal melting 5 times below the irradiance level of corneal cross-linking. Corneal melting takes place in the time window 24 to 120 h and is probably induced by neutrophils.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE