[Corneal autofluorescence in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion]

Basic studies have suggested that corneal autofluorescence, originating from flavoprotein and pyridine nucleotides, is caused by metabolically impaired corneal mitochondrial respiration. In this study, we used corneal autofluorescence as a parameter for evaluating the pathology at the corneal cell level in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion. Unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion cases with durations of 2 months to 7 years since the onset and age-matched normal eyes were used for the study. The corneal autofluorescence was measured with a Fluorotron Master, with a special device attached to measure the anterior segment at the corneal peak. The autofluorescence was 15.6 +/- 5.8 (n = 68), 13.8 +/- 4.0 (n = 68), 14.2 +/- 3.7 (n = 14), and 14.0 +/- 3.6 (n = 14) (ng Eq/ml, mean +/- SD), respectively, in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion, their fellow eyes, normal controls, and their fellow eyes. The affected eyes showed statistically significantly higher autofluorescence than the fellow eyes; there was no essential difference among the fellow eyes of those with branch retinal occlusion, normal controls, and their fellow eyes. The eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion, which is a focal retinal lesion, commonly exhibit corneal cellular pathologies.