Article

The purpose of this study was to determine whether repetitive exposure to
low-level blasts during military breacher training produces acute and cumulative
damage to the ocular tissues or visual system. The 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, and cup-to-disc ratio were assessed using a battery of standard
clinical ophthalmic tests administered 10 times over a 2-year period. Data from
nine breacher instructors (Cadre) were compared with data from four breacher
engineers (CONTROL). The Cadre group showed higher vertical deviation at near
than the CONTROL group over time. The VF mean deviation on the left eye that
tended to be worse in the Cadre group was worse throughout the study, suggesting
a decrease in VF sensitivity (Cadre: -0.20 +/- 0.15 dB; CONTROL: 1.05 +/- 0.15
dB; p = 0.03). The Cadre group had a reduced ECD (right eye: Cadre 2,502
cells/mm(2) vs CONTROL 2,808 cells/mm(2), p = 0.05; left eye: Cadre 2,558
cells/mm(2) vs CONTROL 2,892 cells/mm(2), p = 0.04). These results suggest that
even low-level primary blast has the potential to produce occult eye injury.

Langue : ANGLAIS