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Published on: January 22, 2019
Astigmatism associated with experimentally induced myopia or hyperopia in chickens
1New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. sokee@inet.polyu.edu.hk
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|March 11, 2008
Summary
Altering visual experiences in chicks induced significant astigmatism, suggesting vision-dependent eye growth contributes to this common human refractive error. This study investigated visual manipulation
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Biology
- Animal Models
Background:
- Astigmatism is a prevalent human refractive error with an unclear etiology.
- Understanding astigmatism's origins is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if altered visual experiences can induce astigmatism in developing chicks.
- To explore the relationship between visual input and the development of astigmatism.
Main Methods:
- Chicks underwent visual manipulations (form deprivation, defocus, constant light) for one week.
- Control groups received no treatment or sham treatments.
- Refractions and keratometry were measured to assess refractive error and corneal shape.
Main Results:
- Visual manipulations significantly increased astigmatism compared to controls.
- 100% of treated chicks developed astigmatism >1 D, versus 8.6% in controls.
- Induced astigmatism was primarily corneal and correlated with spherical refractive errors.
Conclusions:
- Vision-dependent eye growth can induce astigmatism in chicks.
- Chicks' astigmatism characteristics resemble human findings, supporting the visual influence hypothesis.
