Experimental Evaluation of Travoprost-Induced Changes in Biomechanical Behavior of Ex-Vivo Rabbit Corneas

ABSTRACTPurpose: To assess the effects of prostaglandin F2α analogues travoprost on the biomechanical behavior of ex-vivo rabbit cornea.Materials and Methods: 18 Japanese white rabbits were included in the study. The left eye (treated group, Tr) of each rabbit was preserved for 10 days in storage medium Eusol-C solution with 1:10 travoprost diluent, while the contralateral eye (control group, Co) was preserved in a similar but travoprost-free medium. Strips of corneal tissue were dissected and tested under cyclic load conditions with up to 0.1 N uniaxial tension force. The resulting load-elongation data were used to derive the stress–strain behavior and the tangent modulus (Et) of the tissue. Differences in Et between the treated (Et-Tr) and control group (Et-Co) were assessed statistically to determine the biomechanical effects of travoprost on the cornea.Results: Central corneal thickness (CCT) in the two groups was similar before (P = 0.073) and remained similar after storage (P = 0.303) although it be...