PURPOSE: The lack of experimental models to study diverse therapeutical alterations in sclera led the authors to propose an animal model for a quantitative study of scleral vessels and cells. METHODS: This is a randomized, masked, prospective study using 15 female rabbits divided into 3 groups. The first group of animals (control) was not submitted to surgery or drug application; the second group was submitted to conjunctival surgery and application of a sponge containing distilled water. The third group was submitted to conjunctival surgery and application of 0.4 mg/ml mitomycin C. A morphometric histological analysis (point counting) was made with light microscopy. The proposed model could quantify vessels and cells in rabbit sclera. RESULTS: The third group presented a reduction of vascular parameters and an increase of cell parameters when compared to the other two groups. The second group showed a reduction in the number of endothelial cell nuclei and an increase in inflammatory cells when compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The model was shown to be feasible in quantifying vessels and cells in rabbit sclera. It was able to detect vascular and cell alterations in sclera due to the topical application of 0.4 mg/ml mitomycin C.
Esclera; Sclera; Sclera; Sclerostomy; Mitomycin C; Rabbits
