had a diameter of 1 5 mm a 0 5 mm hole was drilled into the distal end of the plug to allow for suture fixation to the sclera placebo plugs containing no retinoid were also manufactured to the same dimensions the average weight of the plugs was 8 mg all plugs were sterilized by gamma irradiation at 1 mrad the plugs were then implanted into pigmented rabbits as shown in fig2 the rabbit eyes were vitrectomized and the retinal plugs with or without incorporated retinoid were inserted through a sclerotomy 3 mm posterior to the corneoscleral limbus the plugs were then fixated with the suture used to close the sclerotomy an intravitreal injection of 500 000 human rpe cells was given to simulate traction retinal detachment the rabbits were sacrificed at 28 days and histopathology was done these observed results are shown in fig7 for the placebo plug and in fig8 for the plug 10 including the retinoid as hereinabove described fig7 is a drawing showing the encapsulation of a placebo plug 28 days after insertion into the vitreous through the sclera the plug is comprised of polylactic acid the plug disappears during the processing of the eye a the tissues surrounding the plug were stained with pas and show a fibrous capsule surrounding the area b where.