Comparison of the effects of corticosteroids and indomethacin on the response of the blood-aqueous barrier to injury.

Aqueous protein content was estimated as a measure of the integrity of the blood-aqueous barrier after paracentesis or argon laser photo-coagulation of the iris in rabbits. Corticosteroid pretreatment topically or by subconjunctival or intramuscular injection exerted only a moderate inhibitory effect on the breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier. Instillation of 0.1% indomethacin however, strongly inhibited the response in both models. The results are indicative of the potential usefulness of topical administration of prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors in the treatment of non-infectious inflammatory diseases.