Early Alterations in Inner-Retina Neural and Glial Saturated Responses in Lens-Induced Myopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology and Vision Science
• Neuroscience
• Primate Models

Background:

• Myopic marmosets show inner retinal thinning.
• Understanding early retinal changes is crucial for myopia research.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess inner retinal activity in marmosets with lens-induced myopia.
• Correlate retinal activity with refractive state and eye growth.
• Identify potential early biomarkers for myopia development.

Main Methods:

• Measured refractive error, vitreous chamber depth, and electroretinograms (ERGs) in marmosets treated with negative lenses versus controls.
• Analyzed ERG wave implicit times and amplitudes using Naka-Rushton equations.
• Monitored physiological changes from 74 to 369 days of age.

Main Results:

• Lens-treated marmosets showed reduced ERG amplitudes (b-, d-, and PhNR waves) early in treatment, before refractive changes.
• Later, ERG amplitudes and implicit times normalized as myopia developed.
• A correlation between PhNR and b+d-wave amplitudes observed in controls was absent in treated marmosets.

Conclusions:

• Induced myopia in marmosets causes early inner retinal amplitude alterations independent of refractive error or eye size.
• These ERG changes may indicate early alterations in retinal cell function preceding myopia.
• Early ERG changes could serve as biomarkers for myopia risk.