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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Whole Vitreous Humor Dissection for Vitreodynamic Analysis
Published on: May 24, 2015
Buffering capacity of bovine vitreous
Mandi D Conway1, Christopher M Jermak, Gholam A Peyman
1Department of Ophthalmology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. ccole@eyes.arizona.edu
Purpose:
To measure the buffering capacity of bovine vitreous to HCl, NaOH, and triamcinolone acetonide.
Methods:
Vitreous was dissected from 10 bovine globes, homogenized, and divided into 5.0-mL aliquots. The carbonate/bicarbonate buffer of the vitreous was maintained by performing all subsequent titrations under an atmosphere of 5% CO2/95% air. The pH was monitored during the addition of 0.1 N HCl, 0.1 N NaOH, or 40 mg/mL triamcinolone acetonide to the vitreous sample; 0.9% NaCl was used as control.
Results:
The buffering capacity of bovine vitreous to HCl was 10 times greater than that of 0.9% NaCl. The buffering capacity of vitreous to NaOH was four times greater than that of 0.9% NaCl. Bovine vitreous was able to resist pH changes from addition of triamcinolone acetonide at levels 20 times greater than commonly injected intravitreally.
Conclusion:
Vitreous had a greater buffering capacity than 0.9% NaCl, indicating a greater capacity to remain stable when acidic or alkaline pharmaceuticals are injected in microliter amounts.
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