NOV 08, 2013
This experimental study found that bevacizumab eye drops delay wound healing and increase stromal response after corneal epithelial injury in rats.
Study rats were treated with bevacizumab (5 percent; Avastin) and antibiotic eye drops four times daily, while control rats received antibiotic drops only. Wound area evaluation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescent staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction were then performed on the corneas..
Eyes treated with bevacizumab demonstrated less wound healing and increased stromal fibrotic response at 24, 48 and 72 hours compared with untreated eyes.
They note that some of the study’s limitations are that they could not demonstrate that bevacizumab eye drops act directly on the keratocytes or myofibroblasts to produce the stromal response or what directly caused delayed wound healing. Further study associated with (the stromal?) response will be needed.
Nevertheless, they write that to the best of their knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate that bevacizumab eye drops play an important role in increasing stromal fibrotic response after corneal epithelial damage in rats.