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Effects of repetitive low-level blast exposure on visual systems and ocular structures

Effects of repetitive low-level blast exposure on visual systems and ocular structures. José E. Capó-Aponte, OD, PhD; Gina M. Jurek; David V. Walsh, OD, PhD; Leonard A. Temme, PhD; William A. Ahroon, PhD; Daniel W. Riggs, MS. Aim

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Effects of repetitive low-level blast exposure on visual systems and ocular structures

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  1. Effects of repetitive low-level blast exposure on visual systems and ocular structures José E. Capó-Aponte, OD, PhD; Gina M. Jurek; David V. Walsh, OD, PhD; Leonard A. Temme, PhD; William A. Ahroon, PhD; Daniel W. Riggs, MS

  2. Aim • Determine whether repetitive exposure to low-level blasts during military breacher training produces acute and cumulative damage to the ocular tissues or visual system. • Relevance • Current knowledge regarding the effects of blast on the human visual system is based on retrospective clinical case descriptions potentially confounded by secondary or tertiary injury mechanisms.

  3. Method • Using a battery of standard clinical ophthalmic tests administered 10 times over 2-year period on 9 male breacher instructures (Cadre) and four male breacher engineers (Control), we assessed effects of low-level blast exposure on: • High-contrast visual acuity. • Contrast sensitivity. • Oculomotor function. • Color vision. • Visual field (VF). • Pupillary light reflex. • Corneal endothelial cell density (ECD). • Macular thickness. • Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. • Cup-to-disc ratio.

  4. Results • Cadre group showed higher vertical deviation at near than Control group over time. • VF mean deviation on left eye tended to be worse in Cadre group throughout the study, suggesting a decrease in VF sensitivity. • Cadre group had reduced ECD.

  5. Conclusion • Results suggest that even low-level primary blast has the potential to produce occult eye injury.

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