Lens-induced myopization and body weight in young guinea pigs.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between body weight and Axial length in guinea pigs. METHODS: Forty pigmented guinea pigs were randomly divided into two groups, namely control group and negative lens-induced myopization (LIM) group. After measuring the baseline axial length and body weight (BW), guinea pigs of LIM group received bilateral negative lens-induced myopization using -&#x2009;10.0 diopters lenses. One week later, the lenses were removed and biometric and ophthalmoscopic examinations were repeated. RESULTS: Two groups of guinea pigs showed no statistical difference in initial body weight and eye axis length. Compared to the control group, the lens-induced group had a lower weight (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.02) and a longer axial length (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.01) at the end of study Neither at baseline nor at week 1 did AL correlate with BW in both groups (Control Baseline: r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.306, P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.19; Control Week1: r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.333, P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.15; LIM Baseline: r=-0.142, P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.55; LIM Week 1: r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.189, P&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.42). Lens-induction had a significant effect on axial elongation (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.01) while body weight had no impact on such aspect (P&#x2009;>&#x2009;0.05). CONCLUSION: In guinea pigs of the same age, axial length was not correlated with body weight. Also, baseline body weight had no impact on natural axial length growth or lens-induced myopia. Lens-induction caused a significant reduction in body weight gain.