ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effects of hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of the rats with optic nerve crush. Methods In this study, 24 rats with traumatic optic nerve injury were recruited. The rats'left eyes were injured in the optic nerve and the right eyes as the controls were applied with sham-operation. The rats were divided into the treatment group and the control group in accordance with the random number table. The experimental group was treated with two-course hyperbaric oxygen one hour a day, 10 days a course. The control group breathed fresh air under standard atmospheric pressure. F-VEP was detected on day 3, 10, 20 during the experiment. Results In the control group, latency of F-VEP delayed (P＜0.05) and the amplitude of P100 decreased (P＜0.05) in the injured eye compared to the normal eye. In the experimental group, no obvious difference was found in the latency of F-VEP and the amplitude of P100 in the injured eye compared to the normal eye (P＞ 0.05) . The comparison of F-VEP data of the injured eyes showed that incubation period was in advance (P＜ 0.05) and amplitude increased (P＜0.05) in the experimental group. The comparison of F-VEP data tested at different time points was statistical significant. Conclusion The rat model of optic nerve injury was successful. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy showed no interference with the F-VEP data of the injured eye by causing no damage to the normal eye and was proved effective. Longer treatment provided better results.