Effect of chronic pesticide exposure on murine cornea: a histopathological, cytological and flow cytometric approach to study ocular damage by xenobiotics

Pesticide exposure can occur directly or indirectly in an occupational setting or otherwise. The health hazards of pesticides have long been studied; however, little is known about the ocular insult of these potent chemicals. In this study, we examined the consequences of long-term pesticide exposure on the ocular tissue in animal model with special focus on the cornea. Swiss Albino mice were sacrificed to obtain the eye globes and various cytological, cytotoxic and histological evaluations, in vitro growth kinetic studies and flow cytometric analyses of select cytokeratins were performed to determine the structural and functional damage due to pesticide exposure. Our study revealed the detrimental impact of this xenobiotic insult by cataloguing the damage to each layer of the cornea wherein it was discovered that all the functional layers as well as the membranes were compromised. We hope that our investigation will pave the way for future studies in this oft overlooked area of affront caused by pesticide exposure to the ocular surface.