Study the Effect of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles on Corneal Injury Healing in Rabbits

Background: Injury in the cornea in animals tends to heal slowly due to a vascular structure. Therefore, treatments that accelerate the healing of the cornea need to be investigated. Objective: To enhance and evaluate the healing process of corneal injury using clinical assessments and fluorescent dye examinations. Materials & Methods: Thirty-six rabbits (Britannia Petite) were used in this study. Under general an aesthesia by injection of (10 mg/kg) xylazine and injection of (25 mg/kg) ketamine HCl, corneal injury was induced with NaOH 0.4%, applied to the cornea of the right eye for 20 seconds. The animals were divided into three groups: group one (control group, 12 rabbits), group two (treated group, 12 rabbits), and group three (treated group, 12 rabbits). The animals were examined clinically during the studied period, and fluorescence dye evaluation was performed at the 1st, 3rd, and 4th weeks post-operation. Results: After 28 days of inducing a corneal injury, the control group still had a fibrous tissue layer and corneal opacity on the corneal surface. However, corneal opacity exhibited greater transparency. While, in the treated group, we will observe the complete healing of the eye, with the restoration of blood and nutrient supply to the cornea, resulting in the total resolution of all corneal damage. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated the Nano cerium oxide acceleration and enhanced of the corneal wound healing because have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties.