Retina remodeling following diode laser.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to characterize the sequential development of focal and surround retinal injury and repair following transscleral diode laser to rat retina.


METHODS
Transscleral laser photocoagulation of the retina was induced with a diode laser (DioPexy Probe, 810 nm, 200 mW, 2 seconds) in adult Long-Evans rats. The right eye of rats with survival times of 0 days (n = 4), 5 days (n = 6), 2 weeks (n = 4), 6 weeks (n = 6), and 12 weeks (n = 4) was studied. Using serial sections, detailed pathological changes in laser-treated and surrounding retinal and choroidal areas were compared with the control fellow eye.


RESULTS
Photocoagulation damage was limited to the retina, sparing Bruch's membrane, with minimal choroidal involvement in almost all cases (23/24 eyes). Following damage to the neural retina, the sequence of major remodeling processes was consistent and included inflammatory response, reparative changes, and formation of glial-vascular scar with neovascularization.


CONCLUSIONS
This new laser model caused reproducible injury, inflammation, and scarring confined to the retina, and may be a tool to help test the effects of candidate neuroprotective/regenerative agents on retinal degeneration to prevent vision loss.
Pozdnyakov
Sergey
S
Eye Research and Pathology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences, St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Gupta
Neeru
N
Yeung
Jacky
J
Yücel
Yeni
Y
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000503:physiopathology*