Figure 7. Antioxidants suppress choroidal neovascularization.

Six week old C57BL/6 mice had rupture of Bruch’s membrane with laser photocoagulation at 3 locations in each eye. One day before laser treatment a group of mice were started on daily intraperitoneal injections of vehicle or vehicle containing a mixture of 3 antioxidants, α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and α-lipoic acid. Another group of mice was started on the injections of antioxidants after rupture of Bruch’s membrane. Fourteen days after rupture of Bruch’s membrane, the mice were perfused with fluorescein-labeled dextran and choroidal flat mounts were examined by fluorescence microscopy. Compared to eyes treated with vehicle (A), those started on antioxidants before laser treatment (B) or after laser treatment (C) appeared to have less choroidal neovascularization. Image analysis (D) confirmed that treatment with antioxidants starting prior to rupture of Bruch’s membrane (n= 54) caused a significant (*p< 0.0001 by general linear model) reduction in the mean (±SEM) area of choroidal neovascularization, but there was no significant difference between mice started on antioxidants after laser photocoagulation (n= 27) and mice treated with vehicle (n= 37). Bar = 100 μm.