Objective
To investigate the retinal toxicity and verify the safe dose of intravitreal injecting fluconazole.
Methods
Twelve healthy adult white rabbits were divided at random into 6 groups：a normal control group and 5 groups received intravitreal injection of a single dose of fluconazole ranging from 10 to 200 mu;g respectively.Retinal toxicity was examined by ophthalmoscopy, electroretinography, light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on the third and fourteenth day after injection.
Results
The ultrastructures of the retinal tissues of the normal control group and fluconazole 10～150 mu;g groups were normal on the third and fourteen day after injection.The light microscopy and TEM showed that cells of all the retinal layers in the 200 mu;g group revealed apparent degenerative changes on the fourteenth day after injection, and the light microscopic picture showed the vacuolar degeneration of outer segments of photoreceptors, the nuclei in outer nuclear layer drop out into inner segments, the vacuolar degeneration of nerve fiber layer, and the proliferation of pigment epithelium. TEM revealed expansion of paranucl eus space and karyopyknosis of the bipolar cells, the swelling of nerve fibers and disappearance of the synapses in the inner plexiform layer, the vacuolation and disappearance of microvilli of the pigment epithelium cells.
Conclusion
The safe dose of fluconazole injected intravitreally should be 100～150 mu;g.
(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2000，16：139-212)
