<正> Purpose: To observe the effect of preserving anterior ciliary vessels (ACVs) on anterior segments of rabbit eyes undergoing tenotomy of extraocular muscles. Methods: Thirty-two adult New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups. Same procedures were done in both eyes in each group except that left eyes underwent preservation of ACVs. In the first group medial and lateral recti, in the second group, superior and inferior recti, in the third group, medial, lateral and superior or inferior recti and in the fourth group, all four recti, underwent tenotomy. Slit-lamp examination, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, total protein and lactic acid quantification in aqueous humor were done in all eyes pre- and post-operatively. By four weeks after operation, the eyes were enucleated for histological examination and electron microscopy. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 10.Results: In the left eyes of both group 1 and group 2, no inflammatory response was observed. In the left eyes of group