Night-vision handheld scopes are of wide use in military operations at dark conditions. In some cases in the battlefield, as in our case report, if there is no light coming from any source (neither from Moon nor from Stars), infrared light-emitting diode illumination can be coupled with night-vision goggles. Reflected illumination from the target is mostly blue filtered through the night-vision goggles objective lens. Retinal damage induced by unfiltered blue light and visible light has been previously reported. We described a phototoxic maculopathy induced by night-vision handheld scope assembled with infrared light-emitting diode illuminator in two soldiers who are on duty at nights for nearly two-thirds of the last year. The phototoxic maculopathy can represent with typical optical coherence tomography findings such as intraretinal hyperreflective accumulation particularly located on the surface of outer retinal segments defect or presumably in the vicinity of the light passageway. Here, we presented a unique factor causing phototoxic maculopathy.
SchmickleyDL.Chapter 7: night vision goggles. In: SpitzerCR (ed.) The avionics handbook. 1st ed. New York: CRC Press, 2001, pp. 125–146.
2.
BrittainGP.Retinal burns caused by exposure to MIG-welding arcs: report of two cases. Br J Ophthalmol1988; 72(8): 570–575.
3.
KimEAKimB-GYiC-H, et al. Macular degeneration in an arc welder. Ind Health2007; 45(2): 371–373.
4.
YangXShaoDDingX, et al. Chronic phototoxic maculopathy caused by welding arc in occupational welders. Can J Ophthalmol2012; 47(1): 45–50.
5.
ZhengXXiePHuZ, et al. Phototoxic maculopathy induced by quartz infrared heat lamp. Medicine2017; 96(3): e5830.
6.
Gonzalez Martin-MoroJHernandez VerdejoJLZarallo GallardoJ. Photic maculopathy: a review of the literature (II). Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol2018; 93: 542–550.
7.
ComanderJGardinerMLoewensteinJ.High-resolution optical coherence tomography findings in solar maculopathy and the differential diagnosis of outer retinal holes. Am J Ophthalmol2011; 152(3): 413–419.e6.
8.
BoettnerEAWolterJR.Transmission of the ocular media. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH: Life Support Systems Laboratory, 6570th Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories, Aerospace Medical Division, Air Force Systems Command, 1962.
9.
ClarksonDM.Hazards of non-coherent light sources as determined by the framework of IEC TR-60825-9. J Med Eng Technol2004; 28(3): 125–131.
10.
CrochetJJGnyawaliSCChenY, et al. Temperature distribution in selective laser-tissue interaction. J Biomed Opt2006; 11(3): 34031.
11.
HenriquesFCJr.Studies of thermal injury; the predictability and the significance of thermally induced rate processes leading to irreversible epidermal injury. Arch Pathol1947; 43(5): 489–502.
12.
GreenWRRobertsonDM.Pathologic findings of photic retinopathy in the human eye. Am J Ophthalmol1991; 112(5): 520–527.
WuJSeregardSAlgverePV.Photochemical damage of the retina. Surv Ophthalmol2006; 51: 461–481.
15.
RozanowskaMSarnaT.Light-induced damage to the retina: role of rhodopsin chromophore revisited. Photochem Photobiol2005; 81(6): 1305–1330.
16.
AzzoliniCBrancatoRVenturiG, et al. Updating on intraoperative light-induced retinal injury. Int Ophthalmol1994; 18(5): 269–276.
17.
ByrnesGAAntoszykANMazurDO, et al. Photic maculopathy after extracapsular cataract surgery. A prospective study. Ophthalmology1992; 99(5): 731–737; discussion 737.
18.
QuerquesLQuerquesGCascavillaML, et al. Natural course of photic maculopathy secondary to uncomplicated cataract surgery. Clin Exp Optom2014; 97(2): 175–177.
19.
ICNIRP: guidelines on limits of exposure to incoherent visible and infrared radiation. Health Phys2013; 105: 74–96.
20.
KhwargSCLinstoneFADanielsSA, et al. Incidence, risk factors and morphology in operating microscope light retinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol1987; 103(3Pt1): 255–263.
21.
KweonEYAhnMLeeDW, et al. Operating microscope light-induced phototoxic maculopathy after transscleral sutured posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. Retina2009; 29(10): 1491–1495.
22.
ShuklaD.Optical coherence tomography and autofluorescence findings in chronic phototoxic maculopathy. Indian J Ophthalmol2015; 63(5): 455–457.
23.
McDonaldHRIrvineAR. Light-induced maculopathy from the operating microscope in extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation [Case report.]. Ophthalmology1983; 90: 945–951.
24.
KhwargSGGeorgehanMHanscomTA.Light-induced maculopathy from the operating microscope. Am J Ophthalmol1984; 98: 628–629.
25.
CharlesS.Illumination and phototoxicity issues in vitreoretinal surgery. Retina2008; 28: 1–4.
26.
Dell’OmoRKonstantopoulouKWongR, et al. Presumed idiopathic outer lamellar defects of the fovea and chronic solar retinopathy: an OCT and fundus autofluorescence study. Br J Ophthalmol2009; 93(11): 1483–1487.
27.
GulkilikGTaskapiliMKocaboraS, et al. Association between visual acuity loss and optical coherence tomography findings in patients with late solar retinopathy. Retina2009; 29(2): 257–261.
28.
GargSJMartidisANelsonML, et al. Optical coherence tomography of chronic solar retinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol2004; 137: 351–354.
29.
PilliSOgotiMKalluriV.Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography findings in welder’s maculopathy. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging. Epub ahead of print 9 March 2010. DOI: 10.3928/15428877-20100215-93.
30.
KayCNPavanPRBurrowsA, et al. Neurosensory retinal detachment of the macula in retinal phototoxicity documented by optical coherence tomography. Retin Cases Brief Rep2010; 4(2): 143–145.
31.
GaudricADucos de LahitteGCohenSY, et al. Optical coherence tomography in group 2A idiopathic juxtafoveolar retinal telangiectasis. Arch Ophthalmol2006; 124: 1410–1419.
32.
GualinoVCohenSYDelyferM-N, et al. Optical coherence tomography findings in tamoxifen retinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol2005; 140: 757–758.
33.
BourlaDHSarrafDSchwartzSD.Peripheral retinopathy and maculopathy in high-dose tamoxifen therapy. Am J Ophthalmol2007; 144(1): 126–128.
