Ability of new vital dyes to stain intraocular membranes and tissues in ocular surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the ability of novel dyes to stain lens capsule (LC), internal limiting membrane (ILM), epiretinal membrane (ERM), and vitreous.


METHODS
Experimental study in animal and human donor eyes.


METHODS
Thirteen dyes, methyl violet, crystal violet, eosin Y, sudan black B, methylene blue, toluidine blue, light green, indigo carmine, fast green, congo red, evans blue, brilliant blue, and bromophenol blue, were injected onto the LC and ILM of enucleated porcine eyes. The vitreous was stained with 2 mL of dyes for 1 minute. Six dyes (indigo carmine, evans blue, fast green, light green, bromophenol blue, and brilliant blue) were selected for experiments in human donor eyes and freshly removed ERM.


RESULTS
In the porcine eyes, ILM staining with methylene blue, toluidine blue, indigo carmine, evans blue, bromophenol blue, and fast green was moderate, and methyl violet, crystal violet, brilliant blue, or sudan black resulted in strong staining. Methyl violet, crystal violet, sudan black, toluidine blue, and methylene blue caused histologic damage in porcine retinas. Vitreous examination revealed moderate staining with congo red, crystal violet, fast green, eosin Y, methylene blue, toluidine blue, brilliant blue, bromophenol blue, and methyl violet and strong staining with light green and evans blue. ERMs showed strong staining with 0.5% evans blue and moderate staining with 0.5% light green, fast green, brilliant blue, and bromophenol blue. Evaluation of donor eyes disclosed moderate staining with evans blue, light green, and bromophenol blue and strong staining with 0.5% brilliant blue. Moderate or strong staining of the vitreous occurred with most dyes. LC evaluation showed moderate staining with 0.5% evans blue, fast green, and brilliant blue, whereas 0.5% light green produced strong LC staining.


CONCLUSIONS
Brilliant blue shows the best ILM staining, whereas bromophenol blue, evans blue, and light green also stain ILM. Most dyes bind well to LC, vitreous, and ERM.
Rodrigues
Eduardo B
EB
Vision Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Penha
Fernando M
FM
de Paula Fiod Costa
Elaine
E
Maia
Mauricio
M
Dib
Eduardo
E
Moraes
Milton
M
Meyer
Carsten H
CH
Magalhaes
Octaviano
O
Melo
Gustavo Barreto
GB
Stefano
Vinicius
V
Dias
Ana Beatriz
AB
Farah
Michel Eid
ME
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects
D004396:Coloring Agents