Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1994 May;78(5):377–380. doi: 10.1136/bjo.78.5.377

Effect of topical beta blockers on corneal epithelial wound healing in the rabbit.

J J Reidy 1, J Zarzour 1, H W Thompson 1, R W Beuerman 1
PMCID: PMC504791  PMID: 7912954

Abstract

Topical beta adrenergic receptor blocking agents (beta blockers) are among the most frequently prescribed ophthalmic drugs. It has been suggested that some of these agents have a toxic effect on the corneal epithelium. In the present study, four beta blockers in common therapeutic concentrations, as well as their vehicles, were applied to rabbit corneas that had undergone mechanical removal of epithelium from a 6 mm diameter corneal wound. The tested drugs (0.25% timolol, 0.25% levobunolol, 0.25% betaxolol, and 0.3% metipranolol) were found significantly to accelerate wound closure, compared with saline treatment in controls. Eyes treated with two of the vehicles (betaxolol vehicle and metipranolol vehicle) also demonstrated more rapid healing than controls, but the magnitude of the effect was not as great as that seen with the drugs. Only the beta blockers were responsible for wound closure before 60 hours, whereas the saline treated controls and vehicle treated eyes required longer times for wound closure. In this model of wound healing, beta blockers appear to have no deleterious effect on corneal epithelial wound healing.

Full text

PDF
377

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bengtsson B. The prevalence of glaucoma. Br J Ophthalmol. 1981 Jan;65(1):46–49. doi: 10.1136/bjo.65.1.46. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Beuerman R. W., Schimmelpfennig B. Sensory denervation of the rabbit cornea affects epithelial properties. Exp Neurol. 1980 Jul;69(1):196–201. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(80)90154-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beuerman R. W., Thompson H. W. Molecular and cellular responses of the corneal epithelium to wound healing. Acta Ophthalmol Suppl. 1992;(202):7–12. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1992.tb02161.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Burstein N. L., Klyce S. D. Electrophysiologic and morphologic effects of ophthalmic preparations on rabbit cornea epithelium. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1977 Oct;16(10):899–911. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Crosson C. E., Klyce S. D., Beuerman R. W. Epithelial wound closure in the rabbit cornea. A biphasic process. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1986 Apr;27(4):464–473. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Klyce S. D., Beuerman R. W., Crosson C. E. Alteration of corneal epithelial ion transport by sympathectomy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1985 Apr;26(4):434–442. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Martin X. Y., Safran A. B. Corneal hypoesthesia. Surv Ophthalmol. 1988 Jul-Aug;33(1):28–40. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(88)90070-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mishima S. Ocular effects of beta-adrenergic agents. XII Jules Stein Lecture. Surv Ophthalmol. 1982 Nov-Dec;27(3):187–208. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(82)90072-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Nork T. M., Holly F. J., Hayes J., Wentlandt T., Lamberts D. W. Timolol inhibits corneal epithelial wound healing in rabbits and monkeys. Arch Ophthalmol. 1984 Aug;102(8):1224–1228. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1984.01040030994034. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. O'Brien W. J., DeCarlo J. D., Stern M., Hyndiuk R. A. Effects of timoptic on corneal reepithelialization. Arch Ophthalmol. 1982 Aug;100(8):1331–1333. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1982.01030040309022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Pfister R. R., Burstein N. The effects of ophthalmic drugs, vehicles, and preservatives on corneal epithelium: a scanning electron microscope study. Invest Ophthalmol. 1976 Apr;15(4):246–259. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rózsa A. J., Beuerman R. W. Density and organization of free nerve endings in the corneal epithelium of the rabbit. Pain. 1982 Oct;14(2):105–120. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(82)90092-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Schürmann K., Butz M., Brock M. Temporal retrogasserian resection of trigeminal root versus controlled elective percutaneous electrocoagulation of the ganglion of gasser in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Report on a series of 531 cases. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 1972;26(1):33–53. doi: 10.1007/BF01413531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Toivanen M., Tervo T., Partanen M., Vannas A., Hervonen A. Histochemical demonstration of adrenergic nerves in the stroma of human cornea. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1987 Feb;28(2):398–400. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Tonjum A. M. Effects of benzalkonium chloride upon the corneal epithelium studied with scanning electron microscopy. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1975 Jun;53(3):358–366. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1975.tb01167.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Trope G. E., Liu G. S., Basu P. K. Toxic effects of topically administered Betagan, Betoptic, and Timoptic on regenerating corneal epithelium. J Ocul Pharmacol. 1988 Winter;4(4):359–366. doi: 10.1089/jop.1988.4.359. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Van Buskirk E. M. Adverse reactions from timolol administration. Ophthalmology. 1980 May;87(5):447–450. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(80)35215-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Van Buskirk E. M. Corneal anesthesia after timolol maleate therapy. Am J Ophthalmol. 1979 Oct;88(4):739–743. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(79)90675-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Weissman S. S., Asbell P. A. Effects of topical timolol (0.5%) and betaxolol (0.5%) on corneal sensitivity. Br J Ophthalmol. 1990 Jul;74(7):409–412. doi: 10.1136/bjo.74.7.409. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wilhelmus K. R., McCulloch R. R., Gross R. L. Dendritic keratopathy associated with beta-blocker eyedrops. Cornea. 1990 Oct;9(4):335–337. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES