Solar retinopathy

Solar retinopathy is damage to the eye's retina, particularly the macula, from prolonged exposure to solar radiation or other bright light. It usually occurs due to staring at the sun, watching a solar eclipse or viewing an Ultraviolet, Illuminant D65 or other bright light.[1]

Pathophysiology

Although it is frequently claimed that the retina is burned by looking at the sun, retinal damage appears to occur primarily due to photochemical injury rather than thermal injury and it appears that central serous retinopathy can be a result of a depression in a treated solar damaged eye.[1][2][3]

Signs and symptoms

Vision loss due to solar retinopathy is typically reversible,[1] lasting for as short as one month[4] to over one year.[5] The fundus changes are variable and usually bilateral, mild cases often show no alteration and moderate to severe cases show a foveal yellow spot on the first days after exposure. After a few days it is replaced by a reddish dot often surrounded by pigment.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chen JC, Lee LR. "Solar retinopathy and associated optical coherence tomography findings." Clin Exp Optom. 2004 Nov;87(6):390-3. doi:10.1111/j.1444-0938.2004.tb03100.x PMID 15575813
  2. ↑ Dobson R. "UK hospitals assess eye damage after solar eclipse." BMJ. 1999 Aug 21;319(7208):469. PMID 10454393.
  3. ↑ Hunyor AB. "Solar retinopathy: its significance for the ageing eye and the younger pseudophakic patient." Aust N Z J Ophthalmol. 1987 Nov;15(4):371-5. PMID 3435680.
  4. 1 2 3 Sefic-Kasumovic S, Firdus H, Alimanovic E, Ljaljevic S, Sefic M. "[Eye injuries caused by an eclipse of the sun]." Med Arh. 2000;54(1):41-4. PMID 10872275
  5. 1 2 3 Kallmark FP, Ygge J. "Photo-induced foveal injury after viewing a solar eclipse." Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 2005 Oct;83(5):586-9. PMID 16187997

See also


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