Experimental Retinal Detachment with a Sulfated Polysaccharide.

Research in the pathophysiology of retinal detachments would be aided if an experimental model of such a lesion could be achieved. In an attempt to produce such a model, it was felt essential to cause vitreal as well as retinal alterations. This role of vitreoretinal adhesions and liquefaction of the vitreous as the two main anatomic factors in the etiology of the idiopathic type of retinal detachments has been stressed by Teng and Chi. Balazs noted that in the rabbit the hyaluronic acid has its highest concentration in the boundary layer next to the retina and possibly acts as a barrier to diffusion. Harris noted that hyaluronic acid sulfate caused vitreous liquefaction. We, therefore, injected hyaluronic acid sulfate into the vitreous of a living rabbit and noted that this caused many vitreous alterations leading to retinal detachments comparable to the idiopathic type of retinal detachment found in humans.