AIM:To study the relationship between oxidative damage and the early pathological changes in rabbit lens after vitrectomy combined with nonexpansile perfluoropropane gas, by detecting T-SOD activity and MDA content at different stages after the operation.

METHODS:Fourty five healthy new zealand rabbits were divided randomly to three groups:normal group, control group and experimental group. The control group was just performed vitrectomy with BSS; the experimental group was performed vitrectomy combined with nonexpansile perfluoropropane gas. The lens were made into tissue homogenates to detect T-SOD activity and MDA content by using spectrophotometry on the 1st,3th,8th,35th and 45th day after the operation.

RESULTS:T-SOD activity: that in normal group was the hightest, that in experimental group was the lowest, and there was significant difference(P<0.01)among three groups in every periods after operation. MDA content: that in normal group was the lowest, that in experimental group was the hightest, and there was significant difference(P<0.01)among three groups after the operation except the 1st day.

CONCLUSION:Oxidative damage mechanism may be involved in the early damge of rabbit lens after vitrectomy combined with nonexpansile perfluoropropane gas.