Ocular pigmentation protects the rabbit retina from gentamicin-induced toxicity.

Abstract

Ocular pigmentation partially protects the rabbit retina from the toxic action of gentamicin. This protection probably reflects binding of the drug by the melanin, which thereby reduces the concentration of the free gentamicin. When the initial gentamicin-induced retinal damage is expressed in < 80% reduction in the ERG, substantial recovery may occur in both strains of rabbits.