Experimental fibroplasia in the rabbit vitreous. Effects of hyaluronidase and implantation of autologous dermal tissue.

Intravitreal implantation of dermal connective tissue in rabbits caused a fibroplasia resulting in vitreous retraction, retinal detachment, and traction of nervous tissue from the optic nerve into the vitreous space. Following implantation into eyes with an intact vitreous the incidence of retinal detachment was low (2 eyes of 12). When the hyaluronic acid of the vitreous was degraded by hyaluronidase prior to implantation, 9 eyes of 12 developed a progressive detachment of the retina, usually within one or two months. Intravitreal fibroplasia was found to be an important pathogenic factor causing deteachment of the retina.