Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Laser-Induced Chronic Ocular Hypertension Model on SD Rats
Published on: December 4, 2007
Functional deficits resulting from laser-induced damage in the rat retina
Gil Ben-Shlomo1, Mark Belokopytov, Mordechai Rosner
1Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
Background And Objectives:
To determine the threshold for electrophysiological detection of functional changes after laser photocoagulation in rats, and to correlate the functional damage with retinal morphology.
Study Design/Materials And Methods:
Argon-laser lesions, covering a quarter or half of the retina, were produced in the right eyes of 25 rats. Eyes were evaluated by flash electroretinography (ERG) and histologically at 3, 21, and 60 days after lasering.
Results:
Lasering of half the retina, but not of a quarter, produced a significant decrease in signals at all time points. Some functional recovery was evident 60 days after injury, and was consistent with concurrent morphological healing.
Conclusions:
In rats, lasering of half the retina, but not a quarter, leads to significant deficits in outer retinal functions over a 2-month period. Thereafter some recovery occurs, presumably as a result of migration of photoreceptors from undamaged areas and their retinal remodeling.
