Clinical, Functional and Cellular Responses in a Novel Primate Model of Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (PNAION)

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common cause of sudden optic nerve-related vision loss in adults. NAION affects more than 26,000 Americans every year and there are no effective treatments to date. A rodent model of NAION (rAION) has been developed but a primate model is crucial to define the pathophysiological changes that result from sudden ischemia in the highly structured human optic nerve and to develop neuroprotective strategies for this disease. We wanted to determine if NAION can be induced in non-human primates (pNAION) and to identify the optimal induction parameters for pNAION.