Aspectos morfológicos externos macroscópicos, ecometria e tonometria de rebote do bulbo do olho em bicho-preguiça (Bradypus variegatus, Schinz. 1825)

Abstract

Sloths are animals with peculiar behavior and physiology in fact associated to a quick deforestation contribute to threaten the specie extinction. Thus, research are necessary to gather more information about anatomy and physiology of the specie, in order to contribute to its preservation. Our study aimed to determine reference patterns to ophthalmic evaluation of sloth Bradypus variegatus. For that, an anatomic description was performed sampling eight ocular bulbs of four corpses, and for in vivo ophthalmic analysis, four animals from ‘Parque Estadual de Dois Irmãos – Recife’, were submitted to evaluation of the intraocular pressure for both eyes through applanation tonometry, then submitted to ecobiometric evaluation in B-mode. The ocular morphology of sloth is similar as described for other specie with some peculiarities. They present a third eyelid emerging in the nasal region of the inferior conjunctival sac and retina with little differentiated blood vessels. Medium intraocular pressure was 4.25 ± 0.70mmHg. averages of previous chamber deep, lens width, lens diameter, vitreous chamber deep and axial length of ocular globe were 0.63 ± 1.11mm, 3.73 ± 0.24mm, 6.15 ± 0.41mm, 3.70 ± 0.27 and 8.48 ± 0.22mm, respectively. Right and left eyes had not significant difference. Through ultrasonography, sloth eyes are similar regarding other specie. Knowledge about anatomy, intraocular pressure and ecobiometry of Bradypus variegatus are important to get the greatest evaluation of visual health, thus, standardizing those values contribute to maintenance of captivity and free-living specie.