Ocular ammonia burns: treatment

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The authors present the results of an experimental study to support the proposal for a delay in ocular bathing in the treatment of severe ocular burns due to ammonia. This study compares two solution of ocular wash physiological serum and Diphoterine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 23 eyes of New Zealand albino rabbits were burned for one minute by 100 ul of a solution containing 15.3 percent ammonia. Then, each eye was washed by an ocular wash of 250 ml of physiological serum, or of 250 ml of Diphoterine, after a delay of 1,3,5,10 and 30 minutes. The effects were appraised by measuring the anterior chamber, the concentration of ammonia in the anterior chamber, and by the cytopathological analysis of these burned corneas. RESULTS: An ocular wash with Diphoterine in the first few minutes following an ocular burn induces an inflexion of the pH graph, contrary to an ocular wash with physiological serum. On the other hand, there is no inflexion of the pH graph at 30 minutes, and the concentration of ammonia in the anterior chamber is low at that time. The cytopathological analysis shows stromal oedema with the ocular wash by physiological serum, but not when Diphoterine ocular wash is used. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study proves the importance of ocular bathing in the first minutes following an ocular burn by ammonia. The efficacy of an external ocular wash by Diphoterine features; the importanve of sequelae has been linked to the initial stromal oedema.(AU)