[The viability of the detached retina of the rabbit eye--electrophysiological observation of influence of duration of the detachment]

Abstract

The influence of the duration of the retinal detachment on the function of detached retina was electrophysiologically investigated in the rabbit eye. Experimental retinal detachment with a diameter of 4 mm was made by injecting sodium hyaluronate into the subretinal space. The transretinal ERG (TR-ERG) was recorded from the detached retina between a pair of double-barreled microelectrodes of which the longer tip was positioned into the subretinal space, penetrating the detached retina and the shorter tip in the vitreous body. The vitreal ERG (VERG) from the undetached retina was simultaneously recorded between the shorter tip and a scleral electrode. The amplitude of the TR-ERG b-wave significantly decreased 2 hours after the onset of the detachment, and was gradually reduced to minimal value until 96 hours after the detachment. The amplitude of the VERG b-wave remained unchanged. The slow P III amplitude of the TR-ERG gradually decreased and extinguished 96 hours after the detachment, while the c-wave amplitude of the VERG showed no significant changes. The results suggested that the viability of the detached retina reduces rapidly and extinguishes within 96 hours in the rabbit eye.