Abstract
Background:
Corneal opacity is a major cause of global blindness, and the corneal endothelium has very limited regenerative capability in vivo; reproducible animal models of endothelial injury are therefore fundamental for developing and testing regenerative interventions.

Aim:
To describe the clinical and histological features of mechanical corneal endothelial injury in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits across three groups (Sham, 6-mm scraping lesion, and 8-mm scraping lesion), and to establish a preclinical model for evaluating regenerative therapies.

Methods:
Nine male New Zealand White rabbits were randomly distributed across three experimental groups: a sham-operated and two groups receiving corneal scraping lesions of 6-mm and 8-mm diameters. Anterior chamber maintenance was employed throughout the procedure, and the endothelial scraping was carried out using a silicone-tipped reverse Sinsky hook. We assessed corneal clarity, intraocular pressure (IOP), endothelial cell density (ECD), central corneal thickness (CCT), endothelial morphometry, and hematoxylin–eosin histology at baseline and at the assigned endpoint post-operative day (POD) 7 or 14. Group were compared by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results:
Changes in ECD, CCT, hexagonality (HEX) and coefficient of variation (CV) were similar across groups (ΔECD p = 0.494; ΔCCT p = 0.528; ΔHEX p = 0.747; ΔCV p = 0.430), and the change in IOP also did not differ (p = 0.179). Mean ΔECD was -12.28%, 95% CI -41.01 to 16.46 in the 6-mm group and -13.57%, 95% CI -15.55 to -11.59 in the 8-mm group, while the single sham eye changed by -4.18% (n = 1, CI not estimable). Edema was more severe clarity recovery slower in the 8-mm group. On histology, both scraping groups lost endothelium extensively; the Descemet membrane stayed intact in the 6-mm group, the 8-mm group showed stromal edema at POD 7 that had resolved by POD 14, and the sham cornea was preserved. There were no complications.

Conclusion:
Mechanical scraping produced a consistent, non-inflammatory corneal endothelial injury, and the 8-mm lesion reproduced severe decompensation more closely than the 6-mm lesion. The model gives a workable basis for preclinical testing of regenerative therapies for corneal endothelial dysfunction.

Key words: Corneal edema; Corneal endothelium; Mechanical scraping; New Zealand White rabbit; Specular microscopy.