Outflow of aqueous humor following cyclodialysis or ciliochoroidal detachment in rabbit

ABSTRACT

Cyclodialysis and ciliochoroidal detachment were performed in three eyes of three rabbits and in three eyes of another three rabbits, respectively. After aspiration of the aqueous humor, 0.1 ml of 10% sodium fluorescein was injected intracamerally, and the eyeball was enucleated between 30 minutes and one hour after injection and prepared for fluorescence microscopy. Sodium fluorescein concentrations in the supraciliary space were much greater in the group with cyclodialysis or ciliochoroidal detachment than in the normal control group. These results suggest that (1) in the eye with cyclodialysis, the aqueous humor may freely gain access to the supraciliary space through the cleft between the anterior chamber and the supraciliary space and then be removed rapidly and (2) in the eye with ciliochoroidal detachment, the aqueous humor may pass through the uveoscleral outflow pathway.