Inhibition of contact lens-induced corneal neovascularization in radial keratotomized rabbit eyes.

Cellulose acetate butyrate contact lenses were fitted for extended wear on 28 rabbits 6 weeks after radial keratotomy. Fourteen rabbits received 0.03% flurbiprofen to one eye and vehicle solution to the contralateral control eye, while the other 14 received 1% prednisolone acetate to one eye and vehicle solution to the contralateral control eye four times each day in a double-blind fashion. The eyes were photographed and graded weekly with a standardized slit-lamp grading method. After 6 weeks, inhibition of corneal neovascularization was found with flurbiprofen (p = 0.001), while there was a trend toward inhibition of corneal neovascularization with prednisolone acetate (p = 0.076). We also found a significant vehicle effect, with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, the more viscous vehicle, suppressing corneal neovascularization more than polyvinyl alcohol (p = 0.004).