[Reaction of the retina to injected subretinal fluids]

Experimental retinal detachment was produced by injecting various fluids into the subretinal space in pigmented rabbits. We selected autologous aqueous humor, autologous vitreous, and autoserum as substitutes for subretinal fluid. Retinal detachment disappeared within 24 hours. The eyes were enucleated 7 days after surgery for histopathological study. Destructive changes in photoreceptor layer occurred most severely when the eye was treated with serum. There was a decrease in the number of outer nuclear layer cells. Macrophages and fibroblastic cells had migrated into the subretinal space. Histopathological changes with vitreous were less pronounced than with serum. The cytoplasm of Mueller cells appeared to compensate for the loss of photoreceptor cells in the outer nuclear layer. Mild decrease in the number of photoreceptor cells was the sole pathological feature when the eye was treated with aqueous humor. The retina thus showed different reactions to the subretinal fluids of differing nature.