The oxygen-induced retinopathy as an experimental model of retinopathy of prematurity

The experimental model of retinopathy of prematurity was developed on the base of an oxygen-induced retinopathy in newborn. Wistar rats. This model was meant to investigate histopathological and functional manifestations of the disease. The study was performed on 60 newborn Wistar rats. The main experimental group included 34 animals with induced retinopathy of prematurity, the control group — 26 experimental animals. The predominating morphological manifestations of the oxygen-induced retinopathy were photoreceptor apoptosis, and the development of pathological intraretinal vascularization. Histological and electrophysiological changes were also detected even before the formation of clinical signs of retinopathy. There was a significant impairment of immature retina architectonic after induced hyperoxia.