Standardized Ophthalmic Examination Protocol For Fish Developed During Assessment of 274 Eyes in Rockfish (Family Sebastidae)

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a practical, standardized ophthalmic examination protocol for teleost fish using captive rockfish (Family Sebastidae) as a pilot population. METHODS: One hundred twenty-seven captive rockfish housed at Hatfield Marine Science Center and 11 newly acquired rockfish at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, representing 9 Sebastes and 1 Sebastolobus species. A total of 138 ophthalmic examinations (274 eyes) were performed. Ophthalmic examinations were conducted concurrently with routine health assessments over an 8-month period. Examinations included photodocumentation, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, rebound tonometry, ocular ultrasonography, pachymetry, corneal diameter measurements, and collection of biometric data (body length and weight). Diagnostic feasibility, reproducibility, and workflow efficiency were evaluated. Statistical analyses assessed relationships between ocular measurements and biometric variables. RESULTS: A Standardized Ophthalmic Examination Protocol for Fish (SOEP-F) was developed that enabled collection of 22 discrete ocular and biometric data points in < 3 min per fish. Certain ultrasonographic measurements (e.g., choroidal thickness) were excluded due to poor reproducibility, whereas pachymetry provided consistent corneal thickness measurements. In juvenile copper rockfish, a strong positive correlation was identified between body length and corneal diameter. Mean IOP values did not differ significantly between eyes, and dorsal corneal quadrant measurements demonstrated the lowest variability. The protocol was integrated into routine physical examinations without increasing anesthetic risk. CONCLUSIONS: The SOEP-F provides a practical framework applicable to clinical and research settings in teleost fish. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Standardized ophthalmic examination protocols in teleost fish may improve diagnostic consistency, facilitate multicenter data sharing, and support the development of species-specific reference values.