Rose bengal induced corneal swelling: relation to inciting wavelength.

Cornea endothelial cells sensitized with rose bengal and exposed to light demonstrated a wavelength dependent alteration in physiological response. Corneas exposed to 549 millimicron swelled at rates similar to controls exposed to identical energy levels of incandescent light. Corneas exposed to 451, 500, 612, and 651 millimicron swelled at rates less rapid than corneas exposed to similar energy levels of incandescent light. The photodynamically induced physiological alteration of cornea endothelial cells approximately paralleled the spectral curve of rose bengal with its peak at 550 millimicron.