Purpose The sclera is believed to biomechanically influence eye size, facilitating the excessive axial elongation that occurs during myopigenesis. Here, we test the hypothesis that the sclera will be remodeled and exhibit altered biomechanics in the mouse model of form-deprivation (FD) myopia, accompanied by altered retinoid concentrations, a potential signaling molecule involved in the process. Methods Male C57 Bl/6J mice were subjected to unilateral FD ( n = 44 eyes), leaving the contralateral eye untreated (contra; n = 44). Refractive error and ocular biometry were measured in vivo prior to and after 1 or 3 weeks of FD. Ex vivo measurements were made of scleral biomechanical properties (unconfined compression: n = 24), scleral sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content (dimethylmethylene blue: n = 18, and immunohistochemistry: n = 22), and ocular all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) concentrations (retina and RPE + choroid + sclera, n = 24). Age-matched naïve controls were included for some outcomes ( n = 32 eyes). Results Significant myopia developed after 1 (−2.4 ± 1.1 diopters [D], P < 0.001) and 3 weeks of FD (−4.1 ± 0.7 D, P = 0.025; mean ± standard deviation). Scleral tensile stiffness and permeability were significantly altered during myopigenesis (stiffness = −31.4 ± 12.7%, P < 0.001, and permeability = 224.4 ± 205.5%, P < 0.001). Total scleral sGAG content was not measurably altered; however, immunohistochemistry indicated a sustained decrease in chondroitin-4-sulfate and a slower decline in dermatan sulfate. The atRA increased in the retinas of eyes form-deprived for 1 week. Conclusions We report that biomechanics and GAG content of the mouse sclera are altered during myopigenesis. All scleral outcomes generally follow the trends found in other species and support a retina-to-sclera signaling cascade underlying mouse myopigenesis.

Purpose Ocular all- trans retinoic acid (atRA) levels are influenced by visual cues, and exogenous atRA has been shown to increase eye size in chickens and guinea pigs. However, it is not clear whether atRA induces myopic axial elongation via scleral changes. Here, we test the hypothesis that exogenous atRA will induce myopia and alter scleral biomechanics in the mouse. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were trained to voluntarily ingest atRA + vehicle (1% atRA in sugar, 25 mg/kg) (RA: n = 16 animals) or vehicle only (Ctrl: n = 14 animals). Refractive error (RE) and ocular biometry were measured at baseline and after 1 and 2 weeks of daily atRA treatment. Eyes were used in ex vivo assays to measure scleral biomechanics (unconfined compression: n = 18), total scleral sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content (dimethylmethylene blue: n = 23), and specific sGAGs (immunohistochemistry: n = 18). Results Exogenous atRA caused myopic RE and larger vitreous chamber depth (VCD) to develop by 1 week (RE: −3.7 ± 2.2 diopters [D], P < 0.001; VCD: +20.7 ± 15.1 µm, P < 0.001), becoming more severe by 2 weeks (RE: −5.7 ± 2.2 D, P < 0.001; VCD: +32.3 ± 25.8 µm, P < 0.001). The anterior eye biometry was unaffected. While scleral sGAG content was not measurably affected, scleral biomechanics were significantly altered (tensile stiffness: −30% ± 19.5%, P < 0.001; permeability: +60% ± 95.3%, P < 0.001). Conclusions In mice, atRA treatment results in an axial myopia phenotype. Eyes developed myopic RE and larger VCD without the anterior eye being affected. The decrease in stiffness and increase in permeability of the sclera are consistent with the form-deprivation myopia phenotype.