The effect of topically administered rabbit fibronectin on the rate of corneal epithelial wound healing was assessed in rabbits. Two types of epithelial defects were created, a "standard" 7-mm-diameter scraped central wound and a "persistent epithelial wound" secondary to postscraping application of alcian blue. In a masked fashion, eyes were treated with either fibronectin or balanced salt solution. Areas of the photographically documented fluorescein-stained defects were measured by computerized planimetry. The mean healing rate in fibronectin-treated eyes with standard wounds was linear but not significantly different from the rate in control eyes. The healing rate in persistent epithelial wounds treated with fibronectin was slower than that in standard wounds and was not linear, but it was not statistically significantly different from that of control eyes with persistent epithelial wounds. These results conflict with those of previous studies and indicate that the topical application of fibronectin in rabbits does not necessarily promote corneal epithelial wound healing.