title: Research on mouse model of grade II corneal alkali burn.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To choose appropriate concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution to establish a stable and consistent corneal alkali burn mouse model in grade II.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mice (n=60) were randomly divided into four groups and 15 mice each group. Corneal alkali burns were induced by placing circle filter paper soaked with NaOH solutions on the right central cornea for 30s. The concentrations of NaOH solutions of groups A, B, C, and D were 0.1 mol/L, 0.15 mol/L, 0.2 mol/L, and 1.0 mol/L respectively. Then these corneas were irrigated with 20 mL physiological saline (0.9% NaCl). On day 7 postburn, slit lamp microscope was used to observe corneal opacity, corneal epithelial sodium fluorescein staining positive rate, incidence of corneal ulcer and corneal neovascularization, meanwhile pictures of the anterior eyes were taken. Cirrus spectral domain optical coherence tomography was used to scan cornea to observe corneal epithelial defect and corneal ulcer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Corneal opacity scores (x±s) were not significantly different between the group A and group B (P=0.097). Incidence of corneal ulcer in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P=0.035). Incidence of corneal ulcer and perforation rate in group B was lower than that in group C. Group C and D had corneal neovascularization, and incidence of corneal neovascularization in group D was significantly higher than that in group C (P=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using 0.15 mol/L NaOH can establish grade II mouse model of corneal alkali burns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhao
keywords: alkali burn; cornea; corneal neovascularization; mouse model