Review: avian models for experimental myopia.

Myopia poses a serious threat to unaided vision among the human population, affecting as much as fifty per cent or more of individuals in some subpopulations and at some age levels. Because the etiology of the condition remains obscure, attention has been directed toward a search for experimental animal models for myopia: the hope is that any environmental or experimental intervention found to increase eye size, especially axial length, or to lead to negative refractive error, may suggest some parallels in clinical experience. As well, the availability of myopic animal subjects affords the opportunity to test the efficacy of both preventative and pharmacological measures as they become available.