Quantitative analysis of retinal structures using spectral domain optical coherence tomography in normal rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to quantify the normal retinal thickness (RT) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), and to obtain cross-sectional area measurements of the main retinal artery and vein in the rabbit animal model using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).


METHODS
Fifteen eyes of 15 adult rabbits were used to obtain SD-OCT scans. RT, RNFLT and cross-sectional areas of the main retinal artery and vein were measured with a custom-made software grading tool (OCTOR) on selected B-scans at the edge of the optic nerve head and at 1, 2, 3 and 4 mm from the nerve. Statistical comparisons were made using the analysis of variance test with post hoc comparison.


RESULTS
In the nasal and temporal retina, the average RT and RNFLT decreased significantly with eccentricity from the optic disc. There was a statistically significant greater RT and RNFLT at the edge of the optic disc as compared with values at 1, 2, 3 and 4 mm from the disc edge (p < 0.01). Mean cross-sectional area of the primary retinal vein was significantly larger than the retinal artery (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
We have quantified the cross-sectional dimensions of RT, RNFLT and the major retinal vessels in the rabbit retina with SD-OCT. These findings are novel anatomic features of the rabbit retina, which should be considered in any studies using this animal model.
Doheny Retina Institute, Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA. zeynepalkin@gmail.com
Zeynep
Z
Alkin
Amir H
AH
Kashani
Gilberto Raúl
GR
López-Jaime
Humberto
H
Ruiz García
Mark S
MS
Humayun
Sirinivas R
SR
Sadda
D000818:Animals; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000166:cytology; D011817:Rabbits; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology*; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*