BACKGROUND: Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and blue light has been shown to cause retinal damage in animals. In humans, it has been argued that the loss of short-wavelength (S) cone sensitivity during normal aging may be related to chronic light exposure. METHODS: We measured sensitivity to blue and yellow lights presented on bright yellow backgrounds at several retinal eccentricities in both eyes of an observer with long-standing unilateral aphakia. RESULTS: For yellow lights, where media absorption is not a major factor, there was a 2-fold loss in sensitivity of long (L) and medium (M) wavelength cone mechanisms in the aphakic eye relative to the phakic eye. For blue lights detected by S-cones, there was a 10-fold loss of S-cone mechanism sensitivity in the aphakic eye, after differences in ocular media density were taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that chronic exposure to short wavelength radiation impairs S-cone function.
BACKGROUND: Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and blue light has been shown to cause retinal damage in animals. In humans, it has been argued that the loss of short-wavelength (S) cone sensitivity during normal aging may be related to chronic light exposure. METHODS: We measured sensitivity to blue and yellow lights presented on bright yellow backgrounds at several retinal eccentricities in both eyes of an observer with long-standing unilateral aphakia. RESULTS: For yellow lights, where media absorption is not a major factor, there was a 2-fold loss in sensitivity of long (L) and medium (M) wavelength cone mechanisms in the aphakic eye relative to the phakic eye. For blue lights detected by S-cones, there was a 10-fold loss of S-cone mechanism sensitivity in the aphakic eye, after differences in ocular media density were taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that chronic exposure to short wavelength radiation impairs S-cone function.
Authors: James A Davison; Anil S Patel; Joao P Cunha; Jim Schwiegerling; Orkun Muftuoglu Journal: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol Date: 2011-05-17 Impact factor: 3.117