RETINAL LESIONS EXPERIMENTALLY PRODUCED BY INTRAVITREAL ULTRASOUND

Currently, vitreous surgical techniques combined with phacoemulsificat ion are an established procedure for the removal of luxated natural le nses or dislocated lenticular material. This has proven to be a safe p rocedure, but occasionally retinal lesions have been inadvertently cre ated. We describe the ophthalmoscopic and morphologic features of ultr asonically induced retinal lesions in rabbit eyes using a similar tech nique. The retina was treated directly using a conventional ultrasound tip for pars plana lensectomy (Fragmatome). Ophthalmoscopically sligh t lesions corresponded to an area of retinal whitening. More severe le sions showed a destruction of the inner retina and created a retinal b reak. Extensive effects also involved the choroid and led to a retinal defect with rupture of choroidal vessels and heavy bleeding into the vitreous cavity. Histologic evaluation showed that the acoustic energy primarily led to damage of the outer retina, latter involving the inn er retina and the choroid as well.