Topical indomethacin and prostaglandins in normal and aphakic rabbit eyes.

Lenses were removed from rabbit eyes using an extracapsular technique. Animals were in three groups; no treatment (NT), post-treatment (PT) and pre- and post-treatment (PPT). Treatment consisted of 2% topical indomethacin given three times a day after surgery, except for the PPT group that received 3 drops on the day prior to surgery and drops at 3 hours and 1 hour before surgery. Prostaglandin levels in ocular tissues and fluids were determined at 7, 14 and 21 days post-surgery. Indomethacin decreased prostaglandin formation in most ocular tissues, and was more effective in the PPT group than in the PT group. The data indicate that topical indomethacin suppresses prostaglandin formation from ocular tissues, and that local prostaglandin release from retina and choroid can provide locally high prostaglandin concentrations, regardless of their source, after lensectomy.