Prevention of Corneal Neovascularization; a Preliminary Experimental Study in Rabbits

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of propranolol, timolol and bevacizumab with betamethasone to prevent corneal neovascularization (CNV) in rabbits. This study was performed on ۲۸ male rabbits. CNV was induced by three ۷-۰ silk sutures ۲ mm long and ۱ mm distal to the limbus. Animals were randomly divided into ۴ groups of propranolol + betamethasone, timolol + betamethasone and bevacizumab + betamethasone and betamethasone alone. Eye drops were started from the first day of study. On ۷th, ۱۴th, ۲۱st, ۲۸th, ۳۵th and ۴۲nd days, vascular progression, time of neovascularization and vascular area were evaluated and compared with the control group (betamethasone alone). There was a significant reduction in the area of neovascularization in the timolol and bevacizumab groups compared to the control group (P-value = ۰.۰۵, P=۰.۰۴۷, respectively). Also, regarding vascular progression, there was a significant decrease in the timolol and bevacizumab groups (P-value = ۰.۰۱۴, P=۰.۰۰۲, respectively). Regarding delayed onset of neovascularization, there was a significant difference in the timolol and bevacizumab group in rabbits (P-value = ۰.۰۴, P=۰.۰۰, respectively). In conclusion, the use of timolol and bevacizumab drops besides betamethasone can delay neovascularization and decrease the length of corneal vascularization in rabbits.