Mechanisms of Retinal Damage from Chronic Laser Radiation

摘要

This report and summarizes the results of an extensive investigation concerning retinal damage from chronic exposure to intense visible light. Conclusions are drawn from threshold studies of retinal damage. Several mechanisms by which the damage can be caused are discussed in relation to their importance for primate retina. One experiment is related to determining thresholds and the action spectrum for retinal damage. The development of methods of evaluating damage, both functional and anatomical, is outlined along with an extensive anatomical description of the damage based upon clinical, histopathological and ultrastructural findings. A second experiment concludes in finding a wavelength dependent differential cone specific functional deficit as measured with pattern ERG. This damage is found separately for the blue, red and green sensitive cones depending upon the exposure wavelength. The level of damage is similar to that causing the short wavelength damage in primates. A third experiment presented in the evaluation of light damage in an isolated retinal issue in culture. The pigment epithelium is determined to be almost equally susceptible to damage in vitro as in vivo and the same action spectrum similar in the short and intermediate regions of the visible spectrum.