Repetitive magnetic stimulation protects corneal epithelium in a rabbit model of short-term exposure keratopathy
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Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Ex Vivo and In Vivo Animal Models for Mechanical and Chemical Injuries of Corneal Epithelium
Published on: April 6, 2022
Ifat Sher1, Adi Tzameret1, Zehavit Goldberg1
1Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Purpose:
To investigate the effect of repetitive magnetic stimulation (RMS) on corneal epithelial permeability in a rabbit model of exposure keratopathy.
Methods:
61 female New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were treated on one eye with repetitive magnetic stimulation (RMS) at a frequency of 20 Hz for 15 min. The other eye was untreated. Rabbit eyes were kept open for 2 h to induce acute corneal desiccation. The extent of fluorescein corneal staining was evaluated using EpiView software and the concentration of fluorescein in the anterior chamber was determined by a fluorometer. Safety was evaluated by electroretinogram, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and histopathology. Expression pattern of corneal cell markers was determined by immunofluorescence.
Results:
A significant decrease in fluorescein concentration in the anterior chamber (54 ± 8.4 ng/ml vs. 146.5 ± 18.6 ng/ml, p = 0.000001) and in corneal surface fluorescein staining score (1.7 ± 0.2 vs. 4.6 ± 0.6, p = 0.00001) was obtained in RMS-treated eyes compared with control eyes, respectively. RMS treatment reduced by nearly 4 fold the percentage of corneal area with epithelial erosions by anterior segment SD-OCT. The therapeutic effect was maintained for at least 3 months. Increased expression of epithelial tight junction protein Zo-1 was observed in treated eyes. SD-OCT and histopathology analysis revealed no pathological changes in the treated or non-treated eyes.
Conclusions:
RMS treatment decreases epithelial corneal erosions in a rabbit model of exposure keratopathy, with no indication of pathological changes. RMS may present a novel treatment for protection of corneal epithelium from desiccation.
