FIG. 7.

Inhibitory effects of simvastatin on experimental PVR in rabbit eyes. Rabbits underwent vitrectomy and intravitreal injection of fibroblasts with and without simvastatin on day 0. The eyes were injected with same contents of simvastatin on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 and examined using indirect ophthalmoscope as long as 28 days after the surgery. A: A representative vehicle-injected eye with PVR in stage 5, 28 days after the surgery. Proliferative membranes were observed in the vitreous cavity, causing a traction to the retina and retinal detachment. B: A representative simvastatin-injected eye (15 μmol/l) with PVR in stage 1. A thin proliferative membrane was observed, however, there was no evidence of tractional retinal detachment. C: Clinical observations were categorized according to the PVR classification of Fastenberg et al. (35). Stage 1, intravitreal membrane; stage 2, focal traction, localized vascular changes, hyperemia, engorgement, dilation, and blood vessel elevation; stage 3, localized detachment of medullary ray; stage 4, extensive retinal detachment, total medullary ray detachment, and peripapillary retinal detachment; and stage 5, total retinal detachment. •, vehicle; □, 5 μmol/l simvastatin; ▴, 15 μmol/l simvastatin. **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05; NS, not significant compared with vehicle.