Intraocular pressure, ultrasonographic and echobiometric findings of juvenile Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) eye.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to determine the intraocular pressure (IOP), the ultrasonographic and echobiometric findings in the eyes of juvenile Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare).


METHODS
Twenty-two healthy caimans from a breeding farm in Brazilian Pantanal.


METHODS
Intraocular pressure was measured under physical restraint and topical anesthesia by applanation tonometry. Five individual measurements of each eye were recorded by the same examiner. B-mode ultrasonography was performed with a 10-MHz linear transducer, and the anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous depth, and axial globe length were measured. Unpaired and paired t-tests were used to assess data. Pearson's test was used to assess correlations between IOP and ocular structures (P < 0.05).


RESULTS
Mean ± SD IOP of the 44 eyes studied was 9.56 ± 2.69 mmHg, (range 5.4-15.6 mmHg). IOP did not differ significantly between right and left eyes or between genders (P > 0.05). Echobiometric measurements did not differ significantly between eyes and genders (P > 0.05). Intraocular structures measured in male and female subjects were, respectively, 2.61 ± 0.13 and 2.55 ± 0.18 mm for anterior chamber depth, 7.60 ± 0.17 and 7.54 ± 0.20 mm for lens thickness, 6.83 ± 0.20 and 6.90 ± 0.22 mm for vitreous chamber depth, and 17.55 ± 0.25 and 17.54 ± 0.29 mm for axial globe length. Correlations were not observed (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Reference values of tonometry and distances of intraocular structures of Yacare caiman were described. IOP did not correlate with echobiometric measurements in this crocodilian. The ultrasonographic appearance was similar to other domestic and wild species.
Department of Veterinary Clinic, College of Agronomy, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, 2367 Fernando Correia Avenue, Cuiabá, MT, 78060-900, Brazil.
Thaís
T
Ruiz
Wilma N S
WN
Campos
Thalita P S
TP
Peres
Gentil F
GF
Gonçalves
Rosa H S
RH
Ferraz
Pedro E B
PE
Néspoli
Valéria R F
VR
Sousa
Alexandre P
AP
Ribeiro
D000489:Alligators and Crocodiles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological / Q000662:veterinary*; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography
Caiman yacare; crocodilians; eye; reptiles; tonometry; ultrasound