OVAL CORNEAL OPACITIES IN BEAGLES .3. HISTOCHEMICAL-DEMONSTRATION OF STROMAL LIPIDS WITHOUT HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Abstract

Oval stromal avascular corneal opacities were found in 128 eyes of 75 beagles from 497 studied. There were 3 morphologic types that progressed in severity with time: nebular, racetrack and white arc. Histochemical study of the earliest morphologic type (nebular) revealed neutral fats, cholesterol, phospholipids and sometimes fatty acids both intracellularly and extracellularly. No elevation of serum cholesterol or triglycerides was found except in dogs with the most advanced morphologic type (white arc) and no alteration in thyrometabolic function. Oval stromal opacities in beagle corneas may be a primary disorder of corneal lipid metabolism closely resembling the central crystalline dystrophy of Schnyder and may be an animal model for this human disease.