Objectives: To determine the role of sympathetic innervation and the e
ffect of topical prostaglandin therapy on iris color in pigmented rabb
its. Methods: Twelve Dutch-belted rabbits underwent unilateral superio
r cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx) at age 1 to 3 months. A second group
of 11 rabbits underwent bilateral SCGx at age 1 month and were treated
once or twice daily for 6 to 9 months with 1 drop (about 20 mu L) of
latanoprost, 0.005%, to one eye and its vehicle to the contralateral e
ye. Standardized color photographs of the iris of each eye were taken
at 1- to 2-month intervals for 6 to 10 months and evaluated by 4 to 6
observers in a masked fashion. Results: At 8 to 10 months after unilat
eral SCGx, 11 of 12 rabbits showed definite heterochromia, with the li
ghter-colored iris on the SCGx side. Of the 11 rabbits that underwent
bilateral SCGx and unilateral latanoprost treatment, 9 showed heteroch
romia at 6 to 9 months, with the darker-colored iris on the latanopros
t-treated side. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that sympatheti
c innervation is required for age-related, physiologic darkening of ir
is color in rabbits, that prostaglandins may compensate for sympatheti
c denervation to produce darkening in SCGx eyes, and that this model m
ay be useful to study prostaglandin-induced iris color change.