[Hydration of the animal cornea: spectrometric study using proton nuclear magnetic resonance]

The concentration of water in isolated corneas was studied using a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Protonic (P N M R) technique. The corneas were maintained in moist chambers or in different aqueous fluids in order to compare the results obtained by. P N M R with those provided by classical techniques. The magnetization ratio, associated to water component measured as a function of corneal conservation time has permitted to establish the corneal water content variation. The corneas preserved in moist chamber exhibited a slow dehydration of about 15% in the first day. On the contrary, hydration was evident in liquid media, the strongest in pure water. No significant differences were found between saline, T C Earle medium and Neomycin ophthalmic suspension. P N M R technique give an index of corneal hydration in these conditions and it seems possible to use a P N M R apparatus for the evaluation of a corneal graft before surgery.