Treating ophthalmic fibrosis using interferon- alpha

摘要

The present invention relates to the use of topical interferon- alpha for the treatment of various forms of fibrosis in and around the eye arising from various ophthalmic diseases and procedures. Specifically the invention relates to alleviation of corneal scarring after laser photoablative refractive keratectomy (PRK). It aslo relates to the alleviation of posterior (lens) capsular opacification after extracapsular cataract surgery with lens implant; the alleviation of wound scarring following glaucoma filtration surgery. Interferon- alpha may also be used to coat the lens implant prior to or during implantation. It may also possibly be injected into the eye during eye surgery for inhibiting posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery and in addition may be injected into the vitreous body to prevent retinal fibrosis and proliferative vitreo-retinopathy, and injected subconjunctivally to inhibit fibrosis and scarring following glaucoma filtration surgery,.