Rapid degeneration of visual fibers following retinal lesions in the dipteran compound eye.

Cutting the peripheral retina of the compound eye of the fly resulted in an extremely rapid degeneration, within minutes, of the receptor cells, first in the pseudocartridges and the lamina and then, in the case of the central receptor cells R7 and R8, in the medulla. The degenerative changes evident in the lamina and medulla occurred before any changes were seen in the proximal retina (the part of the cells nearest the cut surface).