Topical ascorbate decreases the incidence of corneal ulceration after experimental alkali burns.

A double-masked study of the effects of topical ascorbate on alkali burns utilized 37 rabbit eyes subjected to 20 sec, 12 mm, IN sodium hydroxide burns. Preliminary studies established the ocular acceptability, penetrability, and stability of the solutions used. Eighteen eyes in the experimental group were given two drops of10% ascorbate in Adsorbotear vehicle hourly for 14 hr of each day. Nineteen eyes in the control group received Adsorbotear alone administered in the same manner. Over the course of 6 weeks one superficial ulcer developed in the ascorbate-treated group (5.6%), and nine ulcers formed in the control group (47.4%). The difference in the incidence of ulceration is significant statistically (p < 0.01). The mean aqueous humor ascorbate concentration at the end of the experiment was 7 mg/dl in the control group and 37.2 mg/dl in the ascorbate-treated group; this difference is very significant (p < 0.001). The study shows that top. ical 10% ascorbate administered 14 times per day to alkali-burned eyes significantly reduces the incidence of corneal ulceration in the rabbit eye. It confirms prior studies demonstrating that subcutaneous administration of ascorbate decreases corneal ulcerations after alkali burns.