[Experimental tyrosine keratopathy in rabbits].

Tyrosine was given to White New Zealand and Chinchilla bastard rabbits. The corneal epithelium showed pinpoint lesions and a pseudokeratitis dendritica from the fourth day on. In spite of continued tyrosine dosage these lesions disappeared clinically within 6 days. Scanning electron microscopy revealed necrosis of isolated epithelial cells even after the twentieth day of tyrosine dosage. Specular microscopy sporadically revealed glittering pre-endothelial structures. It was found by light microscopy that there was a tendency to focal proliferation of corneal epithelial cells and a vacuolization in the basal epithelial cell layers. Endothelial defects may be responsible for circumscribed edema of the corneal stroma.