Anterior segment reactions after experimental trauma to rabbit eyes.

The effect of experimentally induced uniocular trauma was investigated in the adult albino rabbit by means of iris fluorescein angiography. Paracentesis, blunt trauma, occlusion of all four vortex veins or of the two long posterior ciliary arteries, or local instillation of nitrogen mustard, were performed in a number of animals, some of which received systemic aspirin preoperatively. Iris angiograms of the injured and the contralateral eye were performed immediately after the traumatic insult. The injured eye always showed an increased permeability to fluorescein. Except for paracentesis, the ipsilateral response often included ischemia of the iris. The contralateral eye always showed an increase in fluorescein permeability into the aqueous. In some cases, sector ischemia of the contralateral iris was seen. Aspirin inhibited some ipsilateral responses but had no effect on the consensual reactions. It is concluded that ipsilateral trauma almost invariably causes a contralateral reaction in the rabbit eye, which is more severe if the injury creates ischemia of the iris. Since these reactions are inefficiently blocked by aspirin, they are not prostaglandin-mediated. The interocular pathway involved may be neural or vascular in nature.