[Assessment of nitric oxide level in aqueous humor under physiological conditions and after lens extraction and artificial foldable acrylic lens implantation during experimental work in rabbits].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the presence of nitric oxide (NO) and its level in the aqueous humor of rabbit's eye physiological conditions and after phacoemulsification and acrylic foldable artificial lens implantation. We also investigated nitric oxide maintenance during early postoperative period (between 1-5 days after surgery).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We examined 30 rabbits (weighing 3.0-3.5 kg) Just before surgery samples of aqueous humor were aspirated. Lens was extracted with phacoemulsification technique. In 15 eyes acrylic foldable IOL (group III) was implanted and 15 eyes were left aphakic (group IV). The aqueous samples were collected on 1, 3, 5 days after surgery. Nitric oxide in each sample was determined with fluorometric assay.

RESULTS

The level of NO in aqueous humor in physiological conditions was estimated to 26.52 nM/dl. After phacoemulsification in both groups the level of nitric oxide was higher than in control group. The day and value of the highest NO level was different among examined groups. The highest level of NO was released during 1st day in group III and on the 3rd day in the group IV.

CONCLUSION

We came to conclusion that the level of nitric oxide in aqueous humor after phacoemulsification in both groups is higher than in control group but significantly lower than in previously examined groups in which the surgery was made with extracapsular technique.