A scanning ocular spectrofluorophotometer.
We describe an instrument called a scanning ocular spectrofluorophotometer (SOSF) that measures fluorescence in a two-dimensional cross-section through the anterior chamber and cornea and provides the ability to change excitation and emission wavelengths rapidly. The output of a xenon arc lamp is filtered by a diffraction grating monochromator which has a bandpass of 4 nm and a range of 400 to 800 nm. Light emitted from the fluorophore is filtered by a variable wavelength interference filter which has a bandpass of approximately 11 nm and a range of 400 to 700 nm. To demonstrate the versatility of the instrument, we measured the spectra of fluorescein, fluorescein glucuronide and rhodamine B in the anterior chambers and corneas of pigmented rabbits after topical administration. We also measured simultaneously and independently the redistribution and disappearance of a mixture of fluorescein-labeled dextran and rhodamine B after intracameral injection. Rhodamine B was very rapidly absorbed by the cornea and lens while fluorescein-dextran was not measurable in the cornea before 4 hr. The SOSF provides a means of carrying out spectrofluorophotometry in the living eye and carrying out kinetic experiments which would otherwise be awkward or impossible.
McLaren
J W
JW
Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
Brubaker
R F
RF
D000818:Animals; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D003911:Dextrans / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004867:Equipment Design; D005123:Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D019793:Fluorescein; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000295:instrumentation*
D003911:Dextrans; D005452:Fluoresceins; D012235:Rhodamines; C041357:fluorescein glucuronide; C029773:rhodamine B; D019793:Fluorescein