Retinal Cell Death by Light Damage

Phototoxic effects of commercial photographic flash lamp on rat eyes

“…However, a significant increase in the number of TUNELpositive apoptotic nuclei was observed in the outer nuclear layer after the maximal light exposure. TUNEL positive cells have been reported to be present in the outer nuclear layer after photic injury to the rat retina [28,29]. Intense light exposure can induce apoptotic changes in many photoreceptor cells even after a short exposure, and this would suggest that the photoreceptor cell death starts immediately after the exposure [29].…”

Exposure to a solar eclipse causes neuronal death in the retina

“…This is consistent with the clinical observations that have been accumulated over decades of analysing retinal injuries. The heterogeneous characteristics obtained clinically include damage within the pigment epithelium [1,2], the photoreceptors [13,14,18] and the vitreo-retinal border close to the ganglion cells. Accordingly, this spectrum of damage was observed repeatedly in patients affected by solar retinopathy after the most recent eclipse.…”

“…Exposure to visible or UV light can cause lesions in the retina [1,2,3,4,5]. A specialised form of this lightinduced damage, termed solar retinopathy, involves central retinal damage, with the risk of a devastating outcome in affected individuals.…”

Multifocal electroretinogram for assessing sun damage following the solar eclipse of 29 March 2006

“…Solar retinopathy occurs as a result of photochemical damage from visible light or ultraviolet irradiation. It is most commonly caused by religious sun gazing, solar eclipse observing, telescopic solar viewing and characterized by bilateral or unilateral decreased vision [1][2][3][4].…”