Corneal edema recovery dynamics in diabetes: is the alloxan induced diabetic rabbit a useful model?
OBJECTIVE
To compare the contact lens-induced corneal edema recovery dynamics of human subjects with type 1 diabetes with those of age- and sex-matched normal human subjects; to compare the human data with previously reported data from alloxan-induced diabetic rabbit.


METHODS
Corneal edema was induced by 2 hours of closed eye wear with a thick, soft contact lens. After removal of the contact lens, central corneal thickness measurements were made at 30-minute intervals for 3 hours using optical pachometry.


RESULTS
Human subjects with type 1 diabetes demonstrated a significantly slower rate of corneal edema recovery than age- and sex-matched human controls. The rate of corneal edema recovery found in this study for human subjects with type 1 diabetes is similar to that previously reported for alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.


CONCLUSIONS
The decreased corneal edema recovery ability of the patient with type 1 diabetes suggests that care should be taken when prescribing contact lens use in these people. The similarity between corneal edema recovery rates in the human subject with type 1 diabetes and the alloxan-induced diabetic rabbit supports the use of the alloxan-induced diabetic rabbit as an animal model for studies of corneal edema recovery dynamics in diabetes.
Herse
P
P
Department of Optometry, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Hooker
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000496:Alloxan; D000818:Animals; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000009:adverse effects; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology*; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
D000496:Alloxan