Retinal damage induced by visible blue and near-infrared light of an operating microscope
Mori, K.; Yoneya, S.; Iida, T.; Hayashi, N.; Abe, T.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi 96(9): 1112-1119
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0203 PMID: 1414701 Document Number: 401973
The authors evaluated possible hazards to the retina caused by the longer wavelength component in the illumination system of the surgical microscope. Thirty six pigmented and eleven albino rabbit eyes were exposed to blue or near-infrared light for 60 minutes. Ophthalmoscopically visible light damage to the retina developed in 4 of 5 pigmented rabbit eyes after illumination at a power setting of 8 mW/cm-2 for blue and 50 mW/cm-2 for near-infrared light. These power settings were equivalent to those used in clinical tests. The light damage developed immediately after illumination with near-infrared light and a few days after illumination with blue light. No light damage developed in albino rabbits with near-infrared light at current power setting. The findings suggest the possibility that clinical retinal damage may develop in human eyes when exposed to near-infrared light from surgical microscopes.