Secondary cataract. An in vivo model for studies on secondary cataract in rabbits.

Secondary cataract formation is the most common postoperative complication following cataract surgery. To study different methods preventing the secondary cataract formation a relevant animal model is required. An in vivo rabbit model for studies on the prevention of secondary cataract formation is presented. The lens nucleus and cortex were removed by phacoemulsification, and two months later the growth of the secondary cataract was estimated by scoring on a scale from 0-4, both central and peripheral, and by measuring the wet mass of the dissected secondary cataract. The model seems to be a relevant way to study different concepts for the prevention of secondary cataract formation.