Ocular ultraviolet effects from 295 nm to 400 nm in the rabbit eye

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:6781703

Pigmented rabbit eyes were irradiated with ultraviolet in 5 nanometer intervals from 290 to 320 nanometers and in 10 nanometer intervals from 325 to 400 nanometers. Ocular tissues were studied with the electron microscope to localize and describe the morphology of the damage. The upper limit of the action spectrum for cornea was established at 320 nanometers. The most efficient waveband for lenticular damage was 300 nanometers which gave a radiant exposure threshold of 0.15 joules per square centimeter. The lenticular radiant exposure threshold produced transient lenticular opacities which disappeared within 24 hours to 2 weeks. Permanent cataracts occurred at radiant exposure levels approximately twice the threshold exposure. Radiant exposures of twice the threshold exposure for the cornea resulted in irreversible corneal damage in the form of stromal haze, stromal opacities, endothelial changes, and anterior uvitis. Preliminary studies on a primate at 300 nanometers gave a corneal threshold and a lens threshold of about 0.01 and 0.12 joules per square centimeter, respectively.

• Research Organization: Houston Univ., Tex. (USA). Coll. of Optometry
• OSTI ID: 6781703
• Report Number(s): PB-274780
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
CATARACTS
CORNEA
CRYSTALLINE LENS
DISEASES
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EYES
HISTOLOGY
INJURIES
MAMMALS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANS
PATHOLOGY
RABBITS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
SENSE ORGANS
SENSE ORGANS DISEASES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VERTEBRATES