Lid suture myopia in developing chicks: optical and structural considerations

In a group of chickens studied after lid suture in the first month post hatching an unusually high myopia was found (n = 8 eyes; average: -21.87 Diopters). The non-operated eyes of these chicks had the same optical properties (n = 4; +0.93 Diopters) as the eyes of the normal control chicks (n = 12; +0.81 Diopters). Although enlargement of the whole eye occurred, the main determinant was an axial elongation (operated eyes, 18.0 mm; nonoperated, 13.7 mm; normal controls, 14.7 mm). The axial change involves an enlargement of the posterior as well as the anterior segments of the eye. Despite several structural characteristics specific to chicks, their eyes can serve as a model for myopia research.