Abstract

The structure of zebrafish eyes is similar to humans, which makes them a favorable animal model for studying vision. While structurally similar, zebrafish have one function that humans do not possess; the ability to regenerate. While measuring vision in human beings can be achieved through the simple means of an eye chart, zebrafish are not able to complete these kinds of tests. Instead, vision is measured using the optokinetic response (OKR); where your eyes innately track a moving stimulus. After injuring the optic nerve of a zebrafish, we can measure the regeneration by monitoring the return of the OKR. Previous work analyzing vision in zebrafish has focused on the anatomical process of regeneration. We have developed a 3D-printed and optimized device, and are working to develop further computational tools to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the OKR assay. To date, we have found that we can measure regeneration using this setup, and that these results closely correlate with previously published anatomical studies. Understanding the functional regeneration of optic nerves in zebrafish will aid in developing treatments for humans with optic nerve injuries.