PERFLUOROCARBON EFFECTS ON RABBIT BLOOD-RETINAL BARRIER PERMEABILITY

Studies have been made of the effects of intravitreal perfluoro-n-octa ne on the permeability to fluorescein of the blood-retinal barrier in rabbits. At day 1 after injection, there is increased aqueous humor fl uorescence that reflects the physical disturbance to the eye following injection. From that time through 7 weeks, there is no evidence of an y overt toxicity to the blood-retinal barrier. The retention in the vi treous of a small volume of perfluoro-n-octane following its intraoper ative use would not be expected to induce a toxic response. Some effec t on an already compromised retina cannot, however, be excluded.