Influence of Cervical Sympathetic Ganglionectomy on the Lens of the Eye

Abstract

A group of rabbits and cats were subjected to unilateral cervical sympathectomy. It was observed that a myopia of a transient nature developed in the ipsilateral eye. The eye on the unoperated side demonstrated no change at all while the eye on the operated side was no longer myopic after several days. A supersensitivity to epinephrine appeared on the 2d postoperative day, reached a peak in 5-6 days and then gradually tapered off. It was hypothesized that the system involved in accommodation may be partially vascular in nature and may involve the arterioles of the ciliary body in bringing about the reported changes in the refractive power of the lens.