Viability of topical endoscopic imaging system for vitreous surgery in rabbit eyes.

Vitreous surgery was performed in four rabbit eyes to investigate the viability of a topical endoscopic imaging system. This technique was evaluated during core vitrectomy, artificial posterior vitreous detachment, peripheral vitrectomy, production of intentional retinal breaks, and endophotocoagulation. To observe the posterior fundus during the surgeries, the endoscope was fixed in place. In addition, by tilting the endoscope toward the ciliary body, it was possible to clearly observe the trocar ports. The endoscope was easy to use and obtained good resolution. In addition, all procedures could be performed accurately when using the technique. The current study demonstrated that the topical endoscopic imaging system is a convenient method for obtaining both wide-field viewing and panfocal imaging during vitrectomy. This method may prove to be a new observational tool that can be employed during intraocular surgeries in the clinical setting.