MEASUREMENTS OF AXIAL LENGTH AND RADIUS OF CORNEAL CURVATURE IN THE RABBIT EYE

The axial length of the eye, the radius of the anterior corneal surfac e, and the diameter of the cornea were measured on 40 eyes of 20 New Z ealand White rabbits. The ultrasonographic measurements of the axial l ength of the eye showed a mean value of 15.12 +/- 0.51 mm (15.33 +/- 0 .50 mm in males, 14.96 +/- 0.46 mm in females). The mean corneal radiu s was 7.26 +/- 0.26 mm (7.18 +/- 0.9 mm in males, 7.32 +/- 0.33 mm in females); the mean value of the difference in corneal curvature betwee n two principle meridians was 0.21 +/- 0.12 mm; and the mean horizonta l and vertical diameters of the cornea were 13.41 +/- 0.34 mm and 13.0 2 +/- 0.30 mm, respectively. Although the diameter of the cornea of ra bbits was bigger than that of humans (average, horizontal 11.75 mm, ve rtical 10.55 mm), the axial length of the eye was 0.7 times that of hu mans (23-24 mm), and the radius of corneal curvature was relatively sm aller than that in humans (7.7-7.8 mm).