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Updated: Apr 5, 2026
Scleral Cross-linking Using Riboflavin and Ultraviolet-A Radiation for Prevention of Axial Myopia in a Rabbit Model
Published on: April 3, 2016
[Investigation on the concentration of riboflavin in sclera tissue]
Xuemin Zhang1, Xu Zhao1, Fengju Zhang2
1Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab., Beijing 100730, China.
Objective:
To investigate the permeability and saturation characteristics of riboflavin in sclera tissue, in order to explore a reasonable dosage regimen in sclera cross-linking.
Methods:
Experimental study. Five human cadaver eyes were also included in this study, every eye was cut into seven sclera stripes and then 0.1% riboflavin solution was dripped to the sclera stripes for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 minutes respectively. After that, the stripes were made into frozen sections and observed by confocal microscope. To calculate the mean fluorescence density and compare with each other. In addition, 36 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into group A and B groups. Each group was divided into six subgroups. In group A, 0.1% riboflavin solution was dripped to the sclera of right eye for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes respectively. In group B, 0.5% ribof lavin solution was dripped to the sclera of right eye for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes respectively. The left eye were given with physiological saline as blank check. Executed the rabbits to take out the eye and then the nose upper quadrant of the equator sclera was taken to made into frozen sections which were observed by two-photon microscope. To calculate the mean fluorescence density and compare the six subgroups in every group respectively, and compare the subgroups with the same riboflavin-applicated time between group A and B respectively.
Results:
The fluorescence intensity of sclera gradually strengthened with the longer riboflavin-applicated time, but there was no statistical difference between 20 minutes and the longer time groups (P > 0.05). With the same riboflavin-applicated time in rabbit sclera, the fluorescence intensity of 0.5% concentration group was higher than 0.1% concentration group (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
The riboflavin reached an saturation level in the sclera of human cadaver eyes and rabbit eyes after 20 minutes application. The higher concentration of riboflavin-applicated, the higher concentration of riboflavin in the rabbit sclera.
