Experimental Retinal Detachment

Unilateral chronic rhegmatogenous retinal detachments were produced in eight cynomolgus monkeys. Fellow eyes underwent total vitrectomy. Aqueous-plasma and vitreous-plasma ratios of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (70,000 molecular weight) after intravenous administration were less than 0.004 in detached and fellow eyes. Intravitreal injection of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran in detached eyes passed into the subretinal space at a rate of 1.12 microL/min, where it was visibly sequestered for months. In fellow eyes, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran moved slowly from the vitreous cavity into the anterior chamber. The aqueous flow through the anterior chamber was lower in detached eyes. It is concluded that in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, a flow of fluid exits from the posterior chamber, through the vitreous humor and retinal hole, into the subretinal space, and across the retinal pigment epithelium.