The Long-term Effects of Experimental Total Retinectomy

ABSTRACT

Experimental total retinectomy was performed in the pigmented rabbt eyes to investigate its long-term effects on the operated and nonoperated opposite eyes in clinical and histological aspects. Measurement of intraocular pressures, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and indirect ophthalmoscopy were performed before operation and one, two, three and six months after operation. The eyeballs were enucleated six months after operation to make specimens for light and electron microscopy. There was no statistically significant change of intraocular pressure between preoperative and postopzrative measurements during the experimental period. Rubeosis iridis, intraocular hemorrhage and phthisis bulbi were not noticed in the operated and the opposite eyes. Light microscopic examination showed the cangestion of the choroidal vessels. Transmission electron microscopic examination showed apical mounding of the retinal pigment epithelium. Apical processes were short and reduced in number. There were scattered areas of retinal pigment epithelial cdl proliferation. Apical processes of retinal pigment epithelial cells interdigitated with surface processes of the proliferating retinal pigment epithelial cells. There were numerous melanosomes in the cytoplasm of the proliferating retinal pigment epithelial cells. Zonula occludens and zonula adherens between the retinal pigment epithelial cells were well preserved. These results suggest that total retinectomy could preserve the eyeball in the rabbit eyes during the experimental period, total retinectomy, intraocular pressure, choroidal congestion, phthisis bulbi, retinal pigment epithelium