The Effect of Intracameral Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection on the Cornea in Rabbits

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and effects of intracameral triamcinolone acetonide injection in rabbit corneas. METHODS: Triamcinolone acetonide in the amounts of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg was injected into the anterior chamber of rabbit eyes, and intraocular pressure, corneal thickness, and endothelial cell counts were evaluated on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. Twenty-eight days after triamcinolone acetonide injection, the eyes were enucleated and examined after TUNEL staining. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found among control, 0.5, and 1 mg triamcinolone-injected eyes in central corneal thickness, endothelial cell density, pleomorphism, and polymegathism. There was no difference between 2 mg triamcinolone-injected eyes and control eyes for corneal thickness and cell density, but there were statistically significant differences between these two groups for pleomorphism (p<0.05) and polymegathism (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that intracameral injections of 0.5~1 mg of triamcinolone acetonide are beneficial and cause no toxic effects on corneas.