[Inhibitory effects of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor on corneal neovascularization].

We evaluated the inhibitory effects of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor (MMPI) on corneal neovascularization in vivo. MMPI drops in the right eye and MMPI basic drops in the left eye were administrated six times per day after wearing a large polymethylmethacrylate-hard contact lens (PMMA-HCL) and intralamellar transplantation of a basic fibroblast growth factor (basic-FGF) containing polymer disk. We observed the status of corneal neovascularization with a slit lamp biomicroscopically after two weeks. Corneal buttons were also investigated histologically with light and electron microscopes. The findings of both investigations showed MMPI eye drops tended to inhibit the corneal neovascularization.