Photoinduced Bupthalmic Avian Eyes: II. Continuous Darkness1'2

ABSTRACT Chickens raised from 2 to 14 weeks of age in continuous darkness (OL:24D) de-veloped shallow anterior chambers and buphthalmos (megaloglobus). Chickens raised in continu-ous darkness developed ocular changes similar to that reported in chickens raised in continuous fluorescent and incandescent light and in dim light. Corneal diameters and axial globe lengths were an inconsistent means of documenting ocular enlargement. Iridocorneal angles Were narrowed on scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was not different from con-trol chickens. The chicken is proposed as a model to study ocular development, the effects of lid suture on infants, axial myopia, preglaucomatous changes, and possibly pharmacologic effects of antiglaucoma preparations.