[Glutamate in experimental acute elevated intraocular pressure models of rabbits]

To measure the concentration of glutamate (Glu) in the retina of eyes with experimentally elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was utilized to measure the Glu in the retina. 18 rabbits were divided into three groups, each group including 6 rabbits. In one eye of each rabbit in group 1, the IOP was elevated to 60 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) by the anterior chamber perfusion with normal saline maintained for 4 hours, while the IOP of the other eye was maintained at 20 mm Hg by the same method. In group 2, the same experimental method was carried out, but the elevated IOP was maintained at 30 mm Hg. Group 3 was a normal control group without perfusion.

High-IOP eyes (60 mm Hg and 30 mm Hg) had high glutamate concentration in the retinal tissue than that in low-IOP eyes (20 mm Hg) (P < 0.05).

Elevated IOP induces higher content of glutamate in the retina.