One of the most intriguing recent ideas for anatomic assessment of the nasolacrimal system is the use of chemiluminescence, whereby the entire system can be made visible in the physician's office. The potential toxicity of the chemiluminescent material Cyalume was evaluated through a clinical and pathological study of 34 rabbit eyes exposed ot it in various ways. When Cyalume was sealed in the nasolacrimal system, simulating clinical blockage, there were no toxic effects, even after 30 to 40 days, and only minimal side effects occurred with similarly prolonged subcutaneous exposure to the material. However, subtarsorrhaphic, subconjunctival and intra-aqueous deposits had caused serious complications in high proportions of eyes after 30 to 40 days. Similar toxic effects occurred, though, in all control eyes treated with Ethiodan (iophendylate), a contrast medium commonly and safely used in dacryocystography, which was injected either subconjunctivally or into the anterior chamber. Thus, Cyalume should have minimal toxicity when used clinically in the proposed fashion, provided extravasation of the material is carefully avoided.
Animals Fluorescent Dyes