[Is there a delay in bathing the external eye in the treatment of ammonia eye burns? Comparison of two ophthalmic solutions: physiological serum and Diphotérine].

Purpose: An experimental animal study was conducted to analyze the delay for ocular bathing in the treatment of severe ocular ammonia burns. Two solutions of ocular wash, saline solution and Diphotérine were compared.

Material: and methods: The study included 23 eyes of New Zealand albino rabbits that received for 1 minute 100 microl of 15.3% ammonium solution. Each eye was then washed with 250 of saline solution or 250ml Diphotérine after a delay of 1, 3, 5, 10 or 30 minutes. Effects were assessed on the basis of changes in anterior chamber pH, ammonia concentration in the anterior chamber, and cytopathology examination of the burned corneas.

Results: Ocular wash with Diphotérine in the first minutes following ocular burn induced an inflexion of the pH curve unlike ocular wash with saline solution. At 30 minutes, there was no inflexion of the pH curve and the ammonia concentration in the anterior chamber was low. Contrary to ocular wash using Diphotérine, stromal edema was seen at cytopathological analysis after washing with saline solution.

Conclusions: This study provides evidence of the interest of ocular bathing in the first minutes following ocular burn by ammonia. The efficacy of external ocular washing with Diphotérine was proven by biochemical and cytopathological demonstrations. The importance of sequelae were related to the degree of initial stromal edema.