RETINAL DOPAMINE AND LENS-INDUCED REFRACTIVE ERRORS IN CHICKS

This study investigated the relationship between retinal dopamine and lens induced refractive errors in chicks by high performance liquid ch romatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). After two weeks of lens wear, the chick eyes treated with +10D lenses were hyperopic (+8. 29 +/- 0.43D), while the eyes treated with -10D lenses were myopic (-1 1.69 +/- 0.74D). At the same time, in myopic eyes the level of retinal dopamine and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid (DOPAC) w ere reduced compared to control eyes, while in hyperopic eyes the leve l of retinal dopamine and DOPAC were increased as compared with contro l eyes. Therefore, retinal dopamine may participate in the development of lens induced refractive errors in chicks.