title: Early histologic and functional study of radial optic neurotomy outcomes in normal rat eyes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radial optic neurotomy (RON) has been proposed as a treatment for central retinal vein occlusion. However, it is still under debate whether RON would be an adequate treatment or a dangerous procedure, and persuasive animal studies are lacking. The aim of this study was to analyze the early histologic and functional outcomes of RON in normal rat eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Radial optic neurotomy was performed by cutting into the optic nerve edge at the nasal hemisphere, while the contralateral eye underwent a sham procedure. The retinal function was assessed by scotopic electroretinography, and the visual pathway was assessed by flash visual evoked potentials. Intraocular pressure was assessed with a tonometer, the pupillary light reflex was measured after exposing eyes to a 30-second light flash, whereas the optic nerve head structure was examined by histologic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal rat eyes, RON provoked minor histologic alterations at the optic nerve head level and a transient decrease in the electroretinography. No changes in visual evoked potentials, intraocular pressure, and pupillary light reflex were observed in rat eyes submitted to RON.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the early histopathologic and functional consequences of RON in normal rat eyes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Retinal Neurochemistry and Experimental Ophthalmology, Department of Human Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires/CEFyBO, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Nicolás A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Belforte
authors.forename: Pablo H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Sande
authors.forename: Damián
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dorfman
authors.forename: J Oscar
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Croxatto
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rosenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D004596:Electroretinography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012025:Reflex, Pupillary / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology