Fuente: WIPO "tomato" Provided herein are irradiated mouse models which recapitulate the effects of ionizing radiation-induced microglia activation, eye injury and retinal degeneration, as well as methods for producing such mouse models. These mouse models are useful, for example, for the study of genes involved in the pathophysiology of retinal degeneration and for the development of methods for treating retinal degeneration in humans.