The New Zealand white (NZW) rabbit has been and is right now regularly utilized
in ophthalmic surgery evaluation. Inside NZW rabbit eye, the visibility of
ocular structures throughout surgical procedure is fantastic. Younger rabbits
are used in different ages for the evaluation of ophthalmic surgery. Complete
studies of ocular development in the NZW rabbits have not been reported previously.
The aim of the present investigation was to describe the major landmarks
and the time course of the pre- and post-natal development of the
complete eye tunics of the NZW rabbit to give a superb model as well as a
fruitful area for further ophthalmological investigations. Serial histological sections
of NZW rabbit prenatal (E13–E28) and post-natal (P1–P14) stages were
examined, respectively. The eye of the NZW rabbit developed in a similar manner
to that of the human and domestic animals eyes; the principal differences
were at the time of occurrence of certain developmental events, absence of pigmentation
which represent an exploited benefit for ophthalmic surgery,
remarkable Bowman’s membrane at E25, poor developed ciliary stroma and
juvenile retinal layer until P9. In human, the basic morphogenetic processes of
the development of eye tunics are completed towards the end of the first half
of gestation period. However, the latter represents the beginning stage of the
development of eye tunics in the rabbit. Thus, allowing various extensive ophthalmic
researches to be performed.