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Effects of Different Lipid-containing Artificial Tears on the Ocular Surface of Rabbits, a Scanning Electron Microscopic Study
1Sistani F., 2Brewitt H., 2Daenecke G., 1Steinhorst U. H.,
1Wilhelm-Fresenius-Klinik, Klinik für Augenheilkunde (Wiesbaden)
2Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Augenklinik (Hannover)
Purpose: The function of the corneal and conjunctival epithelium depends on typical surface structures and the integrity of the tear film. The most desirable artificial tears would substitute all components of the tear film. Still, most of the artificial tears do not contain the typical lipid constituents of the tear fluid. We compared visible changes of the cornea and conjunctiva using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) after application of a single dosis of a new lipid-containing test substance (F-Gel), two commercially available lipid-containing tear substitute (Liposic Gel, Liposic EDO) and a non-lipid-containing tear substituent (Liquigelâ).
Methods: The tested substances were examined in two different sets of experiments: after eye drops instillation and waiting for 30 minutes (short time tests) and after eye drops instillation and exposure to air for 60 min. (air exposure tests). The animals were then killed using an intracardial injection of T 61Ò. The conjunctiva and cornea were then processed further for SEM.
Results: After the short time tests, the ocular surface of rabbits did not show any changes to the normal epithelium using the test substances. The characteristic microstructure of the rabbit cornea and conjunctiva was very well preserved in all of the preparations. After exposure to the air for 60 min. all four substances preserved the ocular epithelium in comparison to the control groups, which showed extreme damage with desquamation of the epithelial cells, epithelial tears and loss of microvilli and microplicae.There was not a difference comparing the tested artificial tears.
Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis that optimal artificial tears should structurally be as close to the natural tear fluid as possible. However, since the lipid layer of the tear film is very complex, future efforts are needed to develop tear substitutes with lipid constituents more similar to the profile of the natural lipid layer.