Development and Implementation of an Objective Noninvasive Behaviorally Relevant Metric for Laser Eye Injuries

摘要

Battlefield and accidental laser-induced retinal injuries can produce significant retinal scarring and permanent vision loss. Lasers have become an integral part of military weapon system. The proliferation of lasers in battlefield and workplace environments increases the probability that ground and air crews will acquire laser-induced deficits in visual function. The objective of this research are three-fold. The first, is to use a modification of an existing behavioral technique to assess visual function by establishing acuity and contrast sensitivity thresholds in non-human primates prior to and after laser induced retinal injury. The second is to correlate the results with the functional assessment obtained by multifocal electroretinography (mfERG). This is to determine if mfERG is sensitive enough to provide a sensitive, objective functional metric for laser retinal injury. The third objective is to determine whether the mfERG can assess the recovery from retinal laser injury as measured by the behavioral technique. Four Rhesus monkeys are currently being trained to test their viusal acuity and contrast sensitivity using a program that was generated on Labview software. MfERG recordings are being collected on the animals for comparison to the contrast sensivity/visual acuity test results. Retinal laser lesions will be made once all baseline data is collected. Animals are in the final stages of the behavioral testing program with production of contrast sensitivity curves near completion. MfERG recordings using the 509 hexagonal pattern appear to provide the best sensitivity for retinal laser lesions.