CONE PHOTORECEPTOR INTEGRITY ASSESSED WITH ADAPTIVE OPTICS IMAGING AFTER LASER POINTER-INDUCED RETINAL INJURY

Abstract

Purpose: 

To examine the three-dimensional foveal cone photoreceptor structure in a patient who had suffered laser pointer-induced retinal injury.

Methods: 

Patient underwent standard fundus photography and clinical spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging. High-resolution imaging was performed using an adaptive optics-optical coherence tomography-scanning laser ophthalmoscope.

Results: 

Adaptive optics imaging revealed loss of inner and outer segments of cone photoreceptors whereas the anterior retinal layers appeared healthy. Analysis of cone topology showed an increase in Voronoi domain area and a less regular hexagonal packing structure closer to the lesion site.

Conclusion: 

Exposure to laser pointer radiation, however brief, can result in damage to the retina. Here, repeated imaging nine months later showed a decrease in the size of the lesions (ranging from 3.7 to 23.9%) compared with the first time point. However, the longer-term prognosis is likely permanent scarring.

In Brief

Retinal damage caused by lasers pointers has been increasing in prevalence because of greater availability, higher output powers, and devices emitting blue and green wavelengths. This report describes a 14-year-old boy presenting with blurred vision and partial vision loss after laser pointer exposure caused foveal lesions in both eyes.