Abstract

FR.18.12

Development of an ex vivo dry eye model to analyse and quantify the prevention and treatment of the dry eye syndrome

Felix Spöler
Institute of Semiconductor Electronics, RWTH Aachen University

Objective: To date, drug development for the dry eye syndrome is based on unspecific and specific cell culture tests followed by animal experiments and subsequent tests on the healthy and diseased human eye. To cut down this process in the future, the aim of the proposed project is to refine the so called Ex Vivo Eye Irritation Test (EVEIT) into a dry eye model system. The EVEIT was developed in close cooperation with the Aachen Centre of Technology Transfer in Ophthalmology and is based on in vitro tissue culture. As demonstrated in preliminary work, the yield of information of this test method can be substantially improved using high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a monitoring tool for spatio-temporal changes. It is expected that the combination of adapted culture conditions and high sensitive OCT monitoring will result in an ex vivo dry eye model which, for the first time, will allow for analysing and quantifying the prevention and treatment of the dry eye syndrome on living tissue over several days.
Methods: The EVEIT is a self-healing culture system using living corneas obtained from abattoir rabbit eyes, which in the current form allows for ocular toxicity testing of chemicals. To achieve a universal test platform for the treatment of the dry eye syndrome, culture conditions of the corneas will be varied. By adaptation of the lacrimation procedure of the corneas different severities of the dry eye syndrome should be modelled, reproducibly. Using OCT as a non-invasive monitoring tool, the thickness of the tear film and its break-up time, as well as defects of the epithelium can be monitored with high spatial resolution during the whole culture period. After successfully implementing the model system, its applicability should be demonstrated exemplarily within the research project by comparison of different commercial tear-replacement solutions.
Conclusions: The long-term objective of this research project is to provide a universal alternative test platform to analyse and quantify the prevention and treatment of the dry eye syndrome. Thereby, it is anticipated that in case of success the potential of the intended test method will go considerably beyond state-of-the art in vitro test procedures.

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