ANTIOXIDANT THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE CORNEAL INFLAMMATION

To ascertain the effectiveness of topical antioxidant therapy on acute corneal inflammation, we have studied the effectiveness of topical tr eatment with a saline solution and with antioxidants such as 0.2% supe roxide dismutase and 0.5% dimethylthiourea (DMTU) in a controlled expe rimental study. The evolution of the inflammatory process was evaluate d by a multimodel approach, including computer-assisted planimetry of the corneal ulcer and infiltrate, ultrasonic pachymetry, luminol-ampli fied chemiluminescence and the study of corneal transparency by direct spectral spectrophotometry transmittance. The experimental model was a corneal ulcer created by a 60-second application of 1 N sodium hydro xide. Topical treatment with DMTU was shown to significantly improve a ll parameters tested, while superoxide dismutase reduced only the corn eal ulcers. Antioxidant topical therapy with DMTU was shown to be effi cient in reducing the inflammatory reaction that occurs during acute c orneal inflammation. This suggests that antioxidant therapy could be c onsidered as a complementary treatment in the pharmacological modulati on of acute corneal inflammation.