OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of mitomycin C eye drops (0.2 mg/ml) on the corneal epithelium of rabbits. METHODS: Mitomycin C and distilled water (controls) were instilled 4 times daily for 14 consecutive days in the eyes with intact ocular surface. The animals were sacrificed in the 15th, 50th and 100th day of the experiment. The histopathologic analysis of the corneal epithelium was complemented by morphometry. Epithelium area, number of nuclei, nucleus-cytoplasm relation, epithelial cell and cytoplasm area were studied. RESULTS: The morphometric analysis was performed by point counting under light microscopy. It showed variations characterized by alteration of the epithelium area, nucleus area and cytoplasm area, epithelial cell hypertrophy, alteration of the nucleus-cytoplasm relationship and decrease of the number of nuclei. CONCLUSION: The results of this investigation, in the study conditions, showed that 0.02% mitomycin C, instilled 4 times daily for 14 consecutive days, has low toxic potential in the intact ocular surface.
Mitomycin; Mitomycin; Administration; topical; Ophthalmic solutions; Epithelium, corneal; Rabbits
