Histological Changes of the Retinal Following High dose Intravitreal Ganciclovir Injection in Rabbit

ABSTRACT

Authors evaluated the retinal toxicity of high dose (2mg/0.1ml, 4mg/0.1ml) intravitreal ganciclovir injection in rabbit eye with light microscopy and electron microscopy. The results were as follows: In twenty-four hours after 2.0mg/0.1ml intravitreal injection group, edema of outer cells in inner nuclear layer were visualized under electron microscopy. These findings were disappeared after 3 days. In 4.0mg/0.1ml intravitreal injection group, edema of outer cells in inner nuclear layer were visualized at 24 hours after injection. Edema of outer cells in inner nuclear layer and axonal swelling of outer plexiform layer and upper border cells of outer nuclear layer were demonstrated at third and seventh day after injection. We observed more severe changes at seventh day than third day, and fragmentation of inner and outer segments in photoreceptor cells and presence of macrophage corresponding site of subretinal space. So, it suggests that 4.0mg/0.1ml intravitreal ganciclovir injection has mild reversible retinal toxicity.