title: Scleral Cross-linking Using Riboflavin and Ultraviolet-A Radiation for Prevention of Axial Myopia in a Rabbit Model.
abstract: Myopic individuals, especially those with severe myopia, are at higher-than-normal risk of cataract, glaucoma, retinal detachment and chorioretinal abnormalities. In addition, pathological myopia is a common irreversible cause of visual impairment and blindness. Our study demonstrates the effect of scleral crosslinking using riboflavin and ultraviolet-A radiation on the development of axial myopia in a rabbit model. The axial length of the eyeball was measured by A-scan ultrasound in New Zealand white rabbits aged 13 days (male and female). The eye then underwent 360° conjunctival peritomy with scleral crosslinking, followed by tarsorrhaphy. Axial elongation was induced in 13 day-old New Zealand rabbits by suturing their right eye eyelids (tarsorrhaphy). The eyes were divided into quadrants, and every quadrant had two scleral irradiation zones, each with an area of 0.2 cm² and a radius of 4 mm. Crosslinking was performed by dropping 0.1% dextran-free riboflavin-5-phosphate onto the irradiation zones 20 sec before ultraviolet-A irradiation and every 20 sec during the 200 sec irradiation time. UVA radiation (370 nm) was applied perpendicular to the sclera at 57 mW/cm² (total UVA light dose, 57 J/cm²). Tarsorrhaphies were removed on day 55, followed by repeated axial length measurements. This study demonstrates that scleral crosslinking with riboflavin and ultraviolet-A radiation effectively prevents occlusion-induced axial elongation in a rabbit model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus; docdotan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Assaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dotan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus.
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gal-Or
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Eye Research, Felsenstein Medical Research Center.
authors.forename: Tami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Livnat
authors.affiliation: Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zigler
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourla
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University; Laboratory of Eye Research, Felsenstein Medical Research Center.
authors.forename: Dov
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weinberger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058452:Axial Length, Eye / Q000187:drug effects*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012590:Sclera / Q000378:metabolism*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D003094:Collagen; D012256:Riboflavin