CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL PERMEABILITY OF HUMAN TISSUE AFTER STORAGE IN OPTISOL

The purpose of this study was to compare Optisol to moist chamber stor age for maintaining human corneal endothelial barrier function. Human corneas preserved in Optisol were stored for up to 35 days at 4 C. End othelial carboxyfluorescein permeability (P-ac) was measured and endot helial ultrastructure was evaluated by electron microscopy. Endothelia l P-ac (x 10(-4) cm/min) of Optisol-stored comeas was 1.7, 2.0, and 3. 1 at five, seven, and 14 days, respectively. The P-ac increased to 6.5 at 35 days of storage. Endothelial P-ac in moist chamber stored-eyes was 2.6 at two days, and increased to 13.5 14 days of storage. Multipl e regressional analysis showed that storage time and donor age affecte d P-ac; but time from death to enucleation, time from enucleation to s torage, or endothelial cell number did not. Electron microscopy showed that endothelial junctions were maintained through two weeks by Optis ol. Large areas of cellular destruction were seen after five days of m oist chamber storage. These results show that Optisol can preserve end othelial barrier function through 14 days; barrier function is lost by three days of moist chamber storage.