Irreversible Effects of Visible Light on the Retina: Role of Vitamin A
Abstract
Diffuse retinal irradiation by visible light produces in the rat the death of visual cells and pigment epithelium. Typically, cage illumination of 1500 lux from fluorescent light through a green filter leads to severe damage when continued for 40 hours. Vitamin A deficiency protects against this damage but experiments show that retinol released by light from rhodopsin is probably not the toxic agent. Protection against light damage depends on a long-range state of cell adaptation to light itself. The normal diurnal cycle of light and dark seems to be the essential factor in controlling visual cell viability and susceptibility.
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Published In
Science
Volume 172 | Issue 3978
2 April 1971
2 April 1971
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© 1971.
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Published in print: 2 April 1971
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- The Regulation of Carcinogenic Hazards, Science, 208, 4441, (256-261), (1980)./doi/10.1126/science.6768129
- Cones Survive Rods in the Light-Damaged Eye of the Albino Rat, Science, 194, 4270, (1183-1185), (1976)./doi/10.1126/science.996550
- Retina: Ultrastructural Alterations Produced by Extremely Low Levels of Coherent Radiation, Science, 177, 4043, (58-60), (1972)./doi/10.1126/science.177.4043.58
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