Formation and drainage of aqueous humor following total iris removal and ciliary muscle disinsertion in the cynomolgus monkey.

Aqueous humor formation (AHF), uveoscleral flow (U), gross outflow facility (Cg), true facility of outflow from the anterior chamber (Ct1), true facility of outflow from anterior chamber into the general circulation (Ct2), and the pressure sensitivity of AHF (pseudofacility; Cps) were determined in cynomologus monkey eyes which had undergone total iris removal or iris removal followed by ciliary muscle disinsertion. AHF was in the normal range in iridectomized-only eyes. AHF was present but reduced in "disinserted" eyes. U was markedly reduced and similar in both types of eyes. Cps was normal and Cg, Ct1, and Ct2 were low in "disinserted" eyes. Cg, Ct1, and Ct2 were nearly equal in the "disinserted" eyes, indicating that gross facility consisted almost entirely of pressure-dependent flow from anterior chamber into the general circulation, presumably via the conventional drainage routes.