Experimental Glaucoma in Monkeys

Abstract

In an earlier study dealing with the effect of α-chymotrypsin on the electroretinogram of monkeys, severe pathological cupping of the optic disc and atrophy of the optic nerve were noted in routine histological sections (Hamasaki and Ellerman).¹ These changes were associated with a rise in the intraocular pressure, abolition of the ERG, and damage to the retina. The cupping occurred within seven days after the injection of as little as 75 units of the enzyme. The rise in intraocular pressure confirmed the extensive and well-controlled clinical observations of Kirsch² who reported a significant increase in the incidence of transient glaucoma following the use of α-chymotrypsin during cataract surgery. The present report is concerned with the optic nerve changes associated with an elevation of intraocular pressure induced by the injection of α-chymotrypsin, talcum powder, and dental molding cement into the eye of monkeys. Part I describes the relationship between