The effect of free Ca2+ ion concentration on the integrity of the barrier function of the corneal endothelium was studied using the endothelial permeability to carboxyfluorescein (Pac) as a quantitative index according to the method of Araie. Paired rabbit corneas were isolated and mounted in a chamber. To serve as a control, one eye of each pair was perfused with a glucose-glutathione-bicarbon...

Report keratoconus in two patients with a long history of wrestling without any risk factor for corneal ectasia and reviewing the possible pathogenesis. To confirm suspicion of keratoconus, corneal topography was performed using scanning slit topography system and Orbscan. In two wrestlers with the complaint of visual loss in their eyes and IOP raising, corneal topography was performed and de...

PURPOSE To derive the value of corneal epithelial barrier to fluorescein in humans from experiments in which the fluorophore in instilled in a single drop. METHOD A commercial scanning fluorophotometer, the Fluorotron Master, was used to scan through an anterior segment. It could not resolve the tear film from the cornea, but in the early stages of measurement, the tear component predominated...

RANKL is emerging as an important regulator of vascular pathophysiology. We here demonstrate a novel role of RANKL as a vascular permeability factor, and a critical role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), in RANKL-induced endothelial function. RANKL increased the vascular permeability and leukocyte infiltration in vivo and caused the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier in wild type...

PURPOSE To study the effects of bathing solution osmolarity and Cl- secretagogues on the diffusional water permeability (Pdw) of the isolated frog corneal epithelium. METHODS Isolated frog corneas, with the endothelium scraped off, were mounted as a partition between Ussing-type hemichambers. Unidirectional diffusional water fluxes (Jdw) were measured by adding 3H2O to one hemichamber and sam...

PURPOSE To determine whether daily irrigation with sterile saline solution during silicone hydrogel (SiH) contact lens continuous wear (CW) can mitigate increases in corneal epithelial permeability (Pdc) and reduce the risk of adverse events. METHODS In this study, 161 non-contact lens wearers were fit with SiH contact lenses and randomized to either a treatment (n = 81) or control (n = 80) g...

PURPOSE To investigate the effects of 30 nights of overnight orthokeratology (OOK) on corneal epithelial permeability (Pdc) and corneal biomechanical properties. METHODS BE Retainer and Paragon CRT lenses were used. Visits were scheduled approximately 4 hours after awakening at baseline and after 1, 5, 10, 14, and 30 days of treatment. Pdc was measured at baseline and at day 30, whereas corne...