Our purpose was to investigate the quality and morphology of cultured bovine
lenses after exposure to hyperbaric
oxygen (HBO) in the presence or absence of
desferrioxamine (DFO) or
zinc-desferrioxamine (
Zn-DFO). Intact bovine
lenses were cultured and exposed to HBO of 100%
oxygen at 2.5 ATA for 120 min. One hundred and fifty
lenses were included in the present study.
Lenses were divided into study groups of 25
lenses each: (1a) HBO-exposed
lenses; (1b) control
lenses extracted from the contralateral eyes of group 1a and exposed to normal room air. (2a) HBO-exposed
lenses treated with DFO; (2b) control
lenses extracted from the contralateral eyes of group 2a exposed to normal room air in the presence of DFO (3a) HBO-exposed
lenses treated with
Zn-DFO; (3b) control
lenses extracted from the contralateral eyes of group 3a, exposed to normal room air in the presence of
Zn-DFO. Lens optical quality and structural changes were assessed.
Oxygen toxicity to
lenses was demonstrated by decreased light transmission, increase in focal length variability and a decrease in morphological integrity. Light intensity measurements showed a distinct pattern in control
lenses. A different pattern was noticed for hyperbaric
oxygen-exposed
lenses. Focal length variability values were stable in control
lenses and increased significantly in
oxygen-exposed
lenses. Structural damage to
lenses was demonstrated by the appearance of bubbles between lens' fibers possibly demonstrating failure of lens tissue to cope with
oxygen load. All measured parameters showed that both
Zn-DFO and DFO attenuated the oxidative damage. The effect of DFO was small whereas
Zn-DFO demonstrated a significantly stronger effect. Treatment of hyperbaric
oxygen-exposed
lenses with DFO only marginally reduced the oxidative damage. Treatment with
Zn-DFO was superior in reducing the oxidative damage to
lenses. These results indicate a possible role for
Zn-DFO in the prevention of
cataracts.