Abstract
Purpose :
We extended our previous lens-induced myopia model in juvenile mice (Jiang et al., Sci. Rep. 2018) to a 6-week induction period to examine the impact on adult mice.
Methods :
We fit -30 diopter (D) lenses on each eye of 3-week-old C57BL/6J male mice for the myopia induction group (n=21) and Plano lenses (0D) for the control group (n=20). We induced myopia over 6 weeks. Measurements of refractive error, axial length, and choroidal thickness were taken before induction, and at 3- and 6-weeks post-induction. We conducted statistical analyses using the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results :
At 3 weeks post-induction, we observed significant differences in the induced group compared to the control group: a myopic shift in refractive error (-6.76±1.60D vs. 0.36±1.11D,P<0.0001), axial length elongation (0.21±0.02mm vs. 0.19±0.02mm,P=0.0054), and a decrease in choroidal thickness (-1.53±0.81μm vs. 3.46±1.62μm, P<0.001). At 6 weeks, the induced group retained significant myopic changes: refractive error (-5.91±1.98D vs. 0.27±1.24D,P<0.0001), axial length (0.29±0.02mm vs. 0.26±0.03mm,P=0.0006), and choroidal thickness (-2.06±0.68μm vs. 2.10±1.29μm, P<0.0001) compared to controls.
Conclusions :
Extended lens wear successfully maintained myopia in mice, analogous to human adults at 9 weeks of age. This model could elucidate the mechanisms of myopia progression in adult humans.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.