A novel approach is presented to induce chronic dry eye disease in rabbits by surgically removing all orbital lacrimal glands. This method, distinct from those previously reported, produces a stable, reproducible model of aqueous deficient dry eye well suited to study tear physiology and pathophysiology and ocular therapeutics.
Honkanen, R. A., Huang, L., Huang, W., Rigas, B. Establishment of a Severe Dry Eye Model Using Complete Dacryoadenectomy in Rabbits. J. Vis. Exp. (155), e60126, doi:10.3791/60126 (2020).