RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Impediments to eye transplantation: ocular viability following optic-nerve transection or enucleation
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 1134
OP 1140
DO 10.1136/bjo.2008.155267
VO 93
IS 9
A1 D Ellenberg
A1 J Shi
A1 S Jain
A1 J-H Chang
A1 H Ripps
A1 S Brady
A1 E R Melhem
A1 F Lakkis
A1 A Adamis
A1 D-F Chen
A1 R Ellis-Behnke
A1 R S Langer
A1 S M Strittmatter
A1 D T Azar
YR 2009
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/93/9/1134.abstract
AB Maintenance of ocular viability is one of the major impediments to successful whole-eye transplantation. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the current literature to help guide future studies in order to overcome this hurdle. A systematic multistage review of published literature was performed. Three specific questions were addressed: (1) Is recovery of visual function following eye transplantation greater in cold-blooded vertebrates when compared with mammals? (2) Is outer retina function following enucleation and reperfusion improved compared with enucleation alone? (3) Following optic-nerve transection, is there a correlation between retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival and either time after transection or proximity of the transection to the globe? In a majority of the studies performed in the literature, recovery of visual function can occur after whole-eye transplantation in cold-blooded vertebrates. Following enucleation (and reperfusion), outer retinal function is maintained from 4 to 9 h. RGC survival following optic-nerve transection is inversely related to both the time since transection and the proximity of transection to the globe. Lastly, neurotrophins can increase RGC survival following optic-nerve transection. This review of the literature suggests that the use of a donor eye is feasible for whole-eye transplantation.