Induction of Elevated Intraocular Pressure in a Rat Model

Take an anesthetized rat and measure the intraocular pressure, or IOP, in both the experimental and control eyes.

The IOP reflects the balance between aqueous humor production by the ciliary bodies and its drainage through the limbal blood vessels located between the cornea and sclera.

Under a microscope, clamp the experimental eye to expose the limbal blood vessels.

Use an ophthalmic cautery, a heat-generating device, to seal the vessels around the corneal circumference.

The appearance of circular marks and pupil dilation indicates successful cauterization.

The heat coagulates the connective tissue proteins in the blood vessel walls, forming a plug that impairs the aqueous humor outflow and raises the IOP.

Measure the post-operative IOP to assess the elevated pressure in the experimental eye compared to the control eye.

To measure baseline intraocular pressure, or IOP, of both experimental and contralateral control eyes, place the anesthetized rat in a ventral decubitus position on the benchtop, such that the corneal surface is easily accessible to the tip of the tonometer. Position the tonometer tip such that it slightly touches the central corneal zone perpendicularly. Then, acquired