PREVENTION OF SECONDARY CATARACT BY ANTIMITOTIC DRUGS - EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

To prevent the development of secondary cataract, mitomycin C (MC, 0.2 mg/ml) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 50 mg/ml) were introduced in the irr igating solution (BSS Plus) during an extracapsular lens extraction in albino rabbits. Cellular multiplication in the whole lens capsule was quantified by means of flow cytometry. The total number of residual c ells in the capsule after lens extraction together with the mitotic ph ases of the cell cycle were studied. a statistically significant diffe rence (p < 0.005, Student t test) was obtained between the two groups treated with antimitotics when compared with the control group regardi ng the inhibition of mitosis in the capsular cell population together with the total cell number. However, 5-FU has shown a more potent inhi bitory effect than MC (p < .0.005, Student t test). We did not record any ocular complication during a postoperative period of 2 months. MC and 5-FU could be a promising alternative in the prevention of posteri or capsule opacification.