Inhibition of Corneal Neovascularization by Subconjunctival Injection of Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab in Rabbit Cornea

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of subconjunctival ranibizumab and bevacizumab injection on angiogenesis in the rabbit cornea. The corneas of 24 New Zealand rabbits were cauterized with silver nitrate to induce neovascularization. The eyes were irrigated with 10 ml of 0.9% saline solution. The alkaline burns were similar in all the rabbits. At the 24 h after cauterization, the rabbits were divided into three groups of eight animals each: The first group (GC) received 0.02 ml 0.9% saline solution as a control group whereas second (GR) and third (GB) groups received 0.5 mg ranibizumab and 1.25 mg bevacizumab by subconjunctival injection, respectively, on days first and 7 after lesion. The rabbits’ corneas were extracted on the 14th day. Digital photographs of the corneas were obtained and the newly formed vessels were analyzed in a computerized system (google sketch-up program). The rates of these vessels were compared between the groups. Ranibizumab and bevacizumab were both effective on inhibition of angiogenesis, in comparison to 0.9% saline solution (P<0.05). Ranibizumab was found to be statistically more effective to reduce corneal neovascularization than bevacizumab (P<0.05). Bevacizumab and ranibizumab were found to be effective in inhibiting the corneal neovascularization in the rabbit cornea. Ranibizumab seemed more effective than bevacizumab on inhibiting corneal neovascularization in the rabbit cornea.