Commonly used intraocular medications and the corneal endothelium

Forty-one cats had balanced salt solution, chymotrypsin, epinephrine hydrochloride with preservatives in varying concentrations, acetylcholine chloride, and carbachol injected intracamerally to determine the toxic effects on the endothelium. Specular microscopy was performed both before and after injection, and for each of the medications, the cell densities were compared with the results obtained with the balanced salt solution. The mean postinjection density as compared with the preinjection density for the medications varied between 98% and 108%, and there were no statistically significant differences between each medication group and the balanced salt solution results. From the results of this study, it is believed that when indicated, these medications probably do not produce substantial toxic effects on the corneal endothelium.