title: Vitreoretinal toxicity of acetazolamide following intravitreal administration in the rabbit eye.
abstract: Acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, has been shown effective in the treatment of cystoid macular edema; however, chronic use of the drug is limited by its serious systemic side effects. Intraocular administration can eliminate these systemic complications. We evaluated vitreoretinal toxicity after intravitreal injection of acetazolamide in the rabbit eye. The right eye of each rabbit received a single acetzolamide injection; the left eye received balanced salt solution and served as a control. The effect of the drug was evaluated by clinical observation, electroretinography, and histopathologic study. Intravitreal injection of up to 0.5 mg acetazolamide did not cause vitreoretinal toxicity. Injection of 1 mg or higher doses depressed the b-wave amplitude of electroretinograms and damaged the outer segments of the photoreceptors, as determined by light and electron microscopy.
authors.affiliation: LSU Eye Center, Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Medicine, New Orleans 70112-2234.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borhani
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rahimy
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Peyman
mesh_terms: D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000187:drug effects; D007267:Injections; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000086:Acetazolamide