Effect of Long Term use of Topical Antiglaucoma Medications on Aqueous Humor in Rabbits

ABSTRACT

Various studies have been performed to identify change in the constituents of aqueous humor which was suggested either as a factor for fibroblast proliferation causing glaucoma filtering bleb failure or as a factor for the pathogenesis of primary open angle glaucoma. This study was designed to investigate change of aqueous humor composition after long-term topical antiglaucoma medication. After 16-week instillation of pilocarpine 4% and Betagan(TM) in ten rabbits, aqueous humor was obtained from eight control and eight experimental eyes. Protein bands were identified by SDS-PAGE and gold staining techniques. The density and distribution of these protein bands was significantly different between the two groups. The result of this study may give help for future study of pathogenesis of primary open angle glaucoma and causes of high failure rate after glaucoma filtration surgery in patients on chronic topical antiglaucoma medication.