Comparison of Wound Healing in Pigmented Rabbits Receiving Moxifloxacin or Gatifloxacin After Creation of Corneal Flap or Penetrating Corneal Incision

Abstract

Purpose: Corneal wound healing was compared with topical ocular applications of moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5%, gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3%, or BSS Sterile Irrigating Solution after a 6-mm penetrating corneal incision during a 1-week observation period or after creation of a corneal flap during a 3-week observation period. Methods: Fifteen pigmented rabbits were randomized into 3 test groups of 5 rabbits per group (group 1, moxifloxacin 0.5%; group 2, gatifloxacin 0.3%; group 3, BSS Sterile Irrigating Solution). All animals underwent surgery using a microkeratome to create a corneal flap approximately 8.5 mm in diameter and 160 μm deep in the right eye (OD). The animals were dosed 4 times a day with the appropriate test article for 7 days after surgery. Biomicroscopic examinations and postmortem histopathology were conducted to compare the different treatments. In a second study, 9 pigmented rabbits were divided into 3 test groups of 3 rabbits per group. Each animal underwent bilateral surgery to create a 6-mm linear, penetrating incision into the central cornea, using a diamond keratome. The wound was subsequently sutured, and the animals were treated bilaterally (topical ocular) for 7 days with moxifloxacin (3 times a day), gatifloxacin (4 times a day), or BSS Sterile Irrigating Solution (4 times a day). On day 7, the left eye (OS) of each animal was processed and analyzed using standard hematoxylin-eosin histopathology, whereas the right eye of each animal underwent processing and analysis using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Corneas were examined to evaluate wound healing progress, including the epithelial plug, cellular infiltrates, and stromal precipitates. Results: For both the corneal flap and linear incision studies, no appreciable differences were noted between groups with regard to slit-lamp or histopathologic examinations. In the linear incision study, electron microscopy revealed normal remodeling processes in all treatment groups, with no evidence of abnormal electron densities of the basal epithelial cells, basement membrane, anchoring filaments, collagen fibrils, extracellular matrix, or stromal keratocytes. Conclusions: Results showed that moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin were not significantly different from BSS in their effects on corneal wound healing and corneal haze after creation of both superficial and penetrating corneal wounds.