RETURNYonago Acta medica 1992;35:174–182
Changes in Rabbit Lens Epithelial Cells after Intravitreal Silicone Oil Injection
Atsushi Yamasaki, Masao Nagata and Shigeru Takagi
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683, Japan
Using adult albino rabbits, the clinical course of lens opacity and morphological changes of lens epithelial cells were observed from 2 weeks to 3 months after intravitreal silicone oil injection. Simple vitrectomy was performed in both of each rabbit's eyes. One eye with silicone oil injection served as an experimental eye, while the other control eye did not receive any injection. Seven examined eyes showed early posterior subcapsular lens opacity l month after silicone oil injection, by photoslit-lamp microscopy. Intracellular vesicles near to the interdigitation of the lens epithelial cells were observed in the 7 eyes from 2 weeks after the procedure, by transmission electron microscopy. These changes were not observed in the 7 control eyes. As a result, it is surmised that cataract formation after intravitreal silicone oil injection may be associated with morphological changes of the lens epithelial cells.
Key words: intravitreal silicone oil injection; lens epithelial cells; lens opacity; transmission electron microscopy; vesicles