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Solar retinopathy is damage to the eye's retina, particularly the macula, from prolonged exposure to solar radiation. It usually occurs due to staring at the sun or viewing a solar eclipseMidwest Eye Care, P.C."Solar retinopathy".Chen JC, Lee LR. "Solar retinopathy and associated optical coherence tomography findings." Clin Exp Optom. 2004 Nov;87(6):390-3. PMID 15575813.
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 Dobson R. "UK hospitals assess eye damage after solar eclipse." BMJ. 1999 Aug 21;319(7208):469. PMID 10454393.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..
Signs and symptoms
- Reduced visual acuitySefic-Kasumovic S, Firdus H, Alimanovic E, Ljaljevic S, Sefic M. "injuries caused by an eclipse of the sun." Med Arh. 2000;54(1):41-4. PMID 10872275Kallmark FP, Ygge J. "Photo-induced foveal injury after viewing a solar eclipse." Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 2005 Oct;83(5):586-9. PMID 16187997.
- Central scotoma.
Vision loss due to solar retinopathy is typically reversible, lasting for as short as one month to over one year .
Epidemiology
In a 1998 review of 26 patients with solar retinopathy, 60% reported a history of sungazing Stokkermans TJ, Dunbar MT. "Solar retinopathy in a hospital-based primary care clinic." J Am Optom Assoc. 1998 Oct;69(10):625-36. PMID 9805443.
References
See also
"Solar retinopathy"