Mechanisms of retinal damage from chronic laser radiation; Thresholds and mechanisms. Annual report 1 Nov 76-30 Jun 80

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6659934

Lawwill, T; Crockett, R S; Currier, G

The effect upon the retina of exposure to large fields of bright visible light has been evaluated. The thresholds for permanent retinal damage for 4, 1, and 0.25 hour exposures in rhesus or cynomolgus monkeys have been established for laser lines of 514.5 nm, 488 nm, 457.9 nm, and 590 nm. In addition, the effect of distributing the 4 hour exposures in one hour doses separated by intervals of one day or one week has been studied. The damage has been evaluated by opthalmoscopy, electroretinography, fluorescein angiography and light and electron microscopy. The shortest wavelength light (457.9 nm) is more effective in causing damage, particularly histological damage, which is spread throughout the fundus and throughout the retinal layers. There appears to be more than one mechanism for retinal damage in chronic light exposure, and at least one mechanism is not dependent solely upon the visual pigment and the pigment epithelium. The results from our studies suggest that with relatively low intensity, long duration exposures that there is a lack of reciprocity between exposure duration and irradiance level.

• Research Organization: Louisville Univ., KY (USA). Dept. of Ophthalmology
• OSTI ID: 6659934
• Report Number(s): AD-A-140131/4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
DOSES
EPITHELIUM
EYES
FACE
HEAD
LASERS
MAMMALS
MONKEYS
ORGANS
PIGMENTS
PRIMATES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RETINA
SENSE ORGANS
THRESHOLD DOSE
TIME DEPENDENCE
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES