Year: 1989
Type: article
Abstract: Retinal burns from MIG-welding arcs SIR, I read the article by G P H Brittain' on retinal burns caused by exposure to MIG-welding arcs with great interest.I had not seen any cases in Australia and so I was very interested to study the illustrations.Two cases were described.The first case was illustrated in Fig. 2 but I could not see the 'small dark lesion above each fovea' said to be present.The second case is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and I felt the appearances were more consistent with a retinal pigment epithelial detachment than a photocoagulation burn.Mr Brittain also claims that the lesions in the right and left eye are symmetrical and illustrate the principle of physio- logical diplopia.On looking at Fig. 4, however, there were two very obvious lesions in the right eye with a larger one below the horizontal meridian and lateral to the fovea.In the left eye only a large lesion is clearly visible, and it is above the horizontal meridian.On this evidence the lesions in the right and left eyes are not symmetrical.I think we should always be alert to the possibility of retinal damage in people who use arc welders and are not properly protected.I am not convinced, however, that Mr Brittain's article has given us illustrations of retinal burns that have been caused by exposure to MIG-welding arcs.
Source: British Journal of Ophthalmology
Author: P Beaumont
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2139232080