Experimental Retinal Detachment

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to produce experimental retinal detachments caused by retinal breaks resulting from alterations of the vitreous gel. Thus, an effort was made to simulate the pathogenesis of human rhegmatogenous retinal detachments in which vitreoretinal traction is an essential factor.^1-3Clinical observations suggest that the presence of blood in the vitreous of human eyes may cause profound changes in the vitreous gel⁴resulting in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Retinal detachments have been produced in animals by a variety of methods since the initial attempt by Chodin in 1875.⁵These attempts may be divided into five general categories: Mechanical production of a retinal break.5-10 Induced vitreous changes.5,10-16 Mechanical separation of the retina.7, 17-19 Injection of chemicals into the anterior chamber, subconjunctival, or suprachoroidal space.20-25 Ligation of the optic nerve.26 With most of these methods, the retinal detachments spontaneously reattached. Techniques producing long-standing retinal detachments were