The effect of steroids on the healing of the corneal endothelium. An in vivo and in vitro study in rabbits.

The effect of steroids on the repair of a corneal endothelial defect in rabbits was studied by in vivo and by organ culture experiments. A standard 4 mm defect was produced by transcorneal freezing. The situation after 2, 3, and 4 days was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that topical eye treatment influenced on the repair process of the untreated, contralateral eye. The preservants of commercial eye drops caused delayed healing in organ culture. These effects were excluded from the control experiments. Topical eye treatment with steroid eye drops for 3 days caused a one day delay in the repair process. In culture medium, delayed repair was found at hydrocortisone concentrations greater than or equal to 0.125 mg/ml. The visible influence of hydrocortisone increased with the concentration in the range examined, between 0.05 mg/ml and 1 mg/ml.