Ultrastructure of traction retinal detachment in rhesus monkey eyes after a posterior penetrating ocular injury.

We studied the ultrastructural characteristics of an experimental model of traction retinal detachment secondary to a penetrating eye injury in the rhesus monkey. Cells with the characteristics of myofibroblasts were present in the intravitreal fibrous tissue and in epiretinal membranes. These cells were probably derived from many sources, and were capable of contraction through the mechanism of intracytoplasmic contractile proteins such as actin or myosin. The morphologic observations supported our hypothesis that traction retinal detachment is a cell-mediated event analogous to the processes of wound healing and wound contraction. The force of contraction is mediated by cell-to-cell and cell-to-vitreous connections and by glial bridges that connect epiretinal membranes to the retina. These ultrastructural studies, which provide insight into the pathogenesis of traction retinal detachment in the experimental animal model, may well have significant clinical relevance.