The effect of chitosan on corneal wound healing.

Chitosan, a suspected inducer of vascular endothelium regeneration, was applied topically to the eyes of rabbits after they had sustained central corneal wounds. The rabbits were given chitosan tid for seven days in one experimental set and for 14, 17, and 21 days in subsequent sets. For all time sets, there were no apparent statistical differences in corneal wound tensile strength between the chitosan-treated eyes and control eyes.