Hexachlorophene retinopathy in rats.

The primary effect of hexachlorophene on rat retina is disruption of the disc membranes of photoreceptor outer segments and irreversible destruction of their cell bodies. The neurons of the ganglion cell layer of the retina also become affected, probably secondary to optic nerve lesions present in hexachlorophene intoxication. The early and probably reversible changes of the discs are vacuolation and vesiculotubular degeneration. Vacuolation in the discs results from separation of their inner aspects. This lesion is analogous to the separation of myelin lamellae at the intraperiod line, also produced by hexachlorophene.