A laboratory evaluation of the Kowa laser flare-cell meter for the study of uveitis.

The Kowa FC-1000 laser flare-cell meter (LFCM) has been described as an instrument which will objectively quantify inflammation of the anterior chamber of the eye. We evaluated the LFCM using the intravenous endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) rabbit model of ocular inflammation. In vitro flare and cell calibration measurements utilizing bovine serum albumin (BSA) and latex particles, respectively, were also performed. A linear relationship between the flare measurements and BSA concentrations was noted. In addition, the time course of the LFCM flare count in EIU was comparable to previously published fluorophotometric data. However, the LFCM reported cells in the anterior chamber of the EIU rabbits despite negative cytology and histology results. The LFCM also recorded cells in BSA solutions which contained neither cells nor latex particles. Our results suggest that although the LFCM may be useful for evaluating flare, its cell measurements are not accurate in cases of severe uveitis.