The domestic chicken, Gallus gallus, serves as an excellent model for the study of a wide range of ocular diseases and conditions. The purpose of this manuscript is to outline some anatomic, physiologic, and genetic features of this organism as a robust animal model for vision research, particularly for modeling human retinal disease. Advantages include a sequenced genome, a large eye, relative ease of handling and maintenance, and ready availability. Relevant similarities and differences to humans are highlighted for ocular structures as well as for general physiologic processes. Current research applications for various ocular diseases and conditions, including ocular imaging with spectral domain optical coherence tomography, are discussed. Several genetic and non-genetic ocular disease models are outlined, including for pathologic myopia, keratoconus, glaucoma, retinal detachment, retinal degeneration, ocular albinism, and ocular tumors. Finally, the use of stem cell technology to study the repair of damaged tissues in the chick eye is discussed. Overall, the chick model provides opportunities for high-throughput translational studies to more effectively prevent or treat blinding ocular diseases.

IMPORTANCE Unverifiable publications in applications for ophthalmology residencies could be a serious concern if they represent publication dishonesty. OBJECTIVE To determine the rate of unverifiable publications among applicants offered an interview. DESIGN Retrospective review of 322 ophthalmology residency applications for entering classes 2012 to 2017 at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.INTERVENTIONS Full-length publications reported in the applications were searched in PubMed, Google, Google Scholar, and directly on the journal's website. Applications were deemed unverifiable if there was no record of the publication by any of these means or if substantial discrepancies existed, such as incorrect authorship, incorrect journal, or a meaningful discrepancy in title or length (full-length article vs abstract).MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Inability to locate publication with search, incorrect author position, applicant not listed as an author, article being an abstract and not a published paper, substantial title discrepancy suggesting an alternative project, and incorrect journal. RESULTSOf the 322 applicants offered interviews during the 6-year study period, 22 (6.8%) had 24 unverifiable publications. Two hundred thirty-nine of these applicants (74.2%) reported at least 1 qualifying publication; of this group, 22 (9.2%) had an unverifiable publication. The applications with unverifiable publications were evenly distributed across the years of the study (range, 2-6 per cycle; Pearson χ 2 5 = 3.65; P = .60). Two applicants had 2 unverifiable publications each. Two of the 22 applicants (9.1%) with unverifiable publications were graduates of medical schools outside the United States. Among the unverifiable publications, the most common reason was inability to locate the publication (13 [54%]). Additional issues included abstract rather than full-length publication (5 [20.8%]), incorrect author position (4 [16.7%]), applicant not listed as an author on the publication (1 [4.2%]), and substantial title discrepancy (1 [4.2%]). One listed publication had an incorrect author position and incorrect journal (1 [4.2%]).

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A 55-year-old man was referred to the eye clinic for unilateral uveitis and 2 days of sudden vision loss in his right eye. He reported experiencing light sensitivity and mild eye pain. He was in otherwise good health without any chronic medical problems. He reported receiving anticoagulation therapy in the past for a mitral valve problem. His visual acuity was 20/ 200 OD and 20/20 OS. The examination of the left eye was unremarkable. Slitlamp examination of his right eye revealed 3+ anterior chamber inflammation with vitreous cells. An examination of the dilated fundus showed optic nerve edema with an overlying white infiltrate. In addition, there was inferior retinal whitening consistent with an artery occlusion (Figure 1A). The whitening was attributable to inner retina ischemia, with sparing in the distribution of the cilioretinal artery. An inferior hemicentral retinal artery occlusion was confirmed on intravenous fluorescein angiography (Figure 1B). No embolus was noted at any retinal artery branch points. Notably, a dog bit the patient's hand 2 months before presentation. Since that time, the patient developed a persistent cough, night sweats, and lowgrade fevers that were treated unsuccessfully with 2 courses of oral antibiotics.