Improved Diagnosis of Retinal Laser Injuries Using Near-Infrared Autofluorescence

Silva, Samantha De; Neffendorf, James E; Birtel, Johannes; Herrmann, Philipp; Downes, Susan M.; Patel, Chetan K.; Hildebrand, Göran Darius; Gliem, Martin; Issa, Peter Charbel

doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2019.06.001

Cited by 13 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…This can partly be explained by the macular pigment masking the foveal lesions. However, detection of laser lesions outside the fovea is also limited and hence, it may not be the best imaging modality for identifying and monitoring laser pointer injuries [15].…”

Section: Diagnostic Work-up In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These characteristics are especially helpful in the eye examination of the often young patients with retinal laser injury because central retinal injuries can be imaged adequately and with little distress (▶ Fig. 2) [15]. Moreover, NIR-AF not only accurately maps the extent of laser pointer injuries with their typically sharply delineated and often clustered lesions, but also allows conclusions to be drawn about the injury itself.…”

Section: Diagnostic Work-up In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, NIR-AF not only accurately maps the extent of laser pointer injuries with their typically sharply delineated and often clustered lesions, but also allows conclusions to be drawn about the injury itself. For example, multifocal lesions may indicate saccades when looking into a laser beam, while individual burns may indicate even shorter accidental exposure to a laser beam [15]. Due to the pathognomonic appearance of laser pointer lesions on NIR-AF, they can be differentiated from retinal lesions with similar appearance on other imaging modalities [15].…”

Section: Diagnostic Work-up In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, multifocal lesions may indicate saccades when looking into a laser beam, while individual burns may indicate even shorter accidental exposure to a laser beam [15]. Due to the pathognomonic appearance of laser pointer lesions on NIR-AF, they can be differentiated from retinal lesions with similar appearance on other imaging modalities [15]. Hence, NIR-AF imaging may be useful whenever retinal laser injury is suspected.…”

Section: Diagnostic Work-up In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The greatest similarities are found in patients with solar retinopathy, which seems obvious given the similar injury mechanism. Here, too, NIR-AF can contribute to differentiation: solar retinopathy presents with a slightly larger, less sharply delineated central lesion, while laser pointer injuries frequently reveal small, sharply delineated, and often multifocal lesions [15].…”

Section: Differential Diagnosis In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laser Pointer: A Possible Risk for the Retina

Birtel

Hildebrand

Issa

2020

Klin Monbl Augenheilkd

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In recent years, an increasing incidence of laser pointer-associated retinal injuries has been observed, likely due to easy access to incorrectly classified laser pointers, their labelling as toys, and lack of awareness concerning the associated risk. Laser pointer exposure can lead to irreversible retinal damage and associated vision loss, depending on the wavelength, radiation power, duration of exposure, localization, and spot size. Pronounced retinal laser damage is especially seen in children and teenagers. The structural appearance of retinal laser pointer damage varies and, in some cases, may be a diagnostic challenge. Besides often subtle findings on optical coherence tomography examination, characteristic alterations on near-infrared autofluorescence imaging may be valuable for the diagnosis of retinal laser pointer injuries and for differentiating other retinal lesions with similar appearance. The increase in laser pointer injuries indicates that regulatory actions and increased public awareness are required regarding the dangers of laser pointers.

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Section: Diagnostic Work-up In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Diagnostic Work-up In Laser Pointer Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%