Download PDF
Klin Monbl Augenheilkd 2019; 236(04): 594-597
DOI: 10.1055/a-0828-7449
Der interessante Fall
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

OCT-Angiography as a Help in the Diagnosis of a Laser Pointer Retinal Injury: A Case Report

OCT-Angiografie ist eine Hilfe in der Diagnosestellung einer Netzhautverletzung durch Laserpointer: ein Fallbericht
Mohamed Sherif
1   Ophthalmology, Centre de Glaucome, Clinique de Montchoisi, Lausanne, Switzerland
,
Jeanne Berthoud
2   Cabinet dʼophtalmologie du Grand-Chêne, Lausanne, Switzerland
,
Jean-Antoine Pournaras
3   Ophthalmology, RétinElysée, Lausanne, Switzerland
,
Aude Ambresin
3   Ophthalmology, RétinElysée, Lausanne, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 19 September 2018

accepted 18 December 2018

Publication Date:
20 February 2019 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Background

Despite the campaigns to increase public education and impose punishments for laser pointer use, increasing cases of retinal injuries resulting from these devices have been reported. The volume of reported laser incidents increased from 46 in 2004 to more than 3000 per year since 2010 [1]. The greatest concerns are raised by reports of unsupervised children who received these lasers as toys and exposed themselves to the laser beams, causing permanent retinal injury. From 2000 to 2009, there were 5 reports of 18 patients with injuries due to laser pointer exposure [2], [3]. The vast majority of cases involved males younger than age 18 years, including one child as young as 9 years [3], [4]. The degree of damage varies depending on the laserʼs wavelength and exposure time [5]. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) has now become a key diagnostic tool, revealing lesions in the external retina and the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) with possible healing over time. Differential diagnosis includes various pigment epitheliopathies including macular dystrophies. This report describes optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) longitudinal findings in a case with acute and subacute macular injury due to a green laser pointer.

 

  • References

  • 1 Houston S. Aircrew exposure to handheld laser pointers: the potential for retinal damage. Aviat Space Environ Med 2011; 82: 921-922
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Turaka K, Bryan JS, Gordon AJ. et al. Laser pointer induced macular damage: case report and mini review. Int Ophthalmol 2012; 32: 293-297
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Lee GD, Baumal CR, Lally D. et al. Retinal injury after inadvertent handheld laser exposure. Retina 2014; 34: 2388-2396
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Yiu G, Itty S, Toth CA. Ocular safety of recreational lasers. JAMA Ophthalmol 2014; 132: 245-246
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Barkana Y, Belkin M. Laser eye injuries. Surv Ophthalmol 2000; 44: 459-478
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Robertson DM, Lim TH, Salomao DR. et al. Laser pointers and the human eye: a clinicopathologic study. Arch Ophthalmol 2000; 118: 1686-1691
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Alsulaiman SM, Alrushood AA, Almasaud J. et al. High-power handheld blue laser-induced maculopathy: the results of the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital Collaborative Retina Study Group. Ophthalmology 2014; 121: 566-572.e1
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Rusu I, Sherman J, Gallego-Pinazo R. et al. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence findings in a case of laser pointer-induced maculopathy. Retin Cases Brief Rep 2013; 7: 371-375
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Fujinami K, Yokoi T, Hiraoka M. et al. Choroidal neovascularization in a child following laser pointer-induced macular injury. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2010; 54: 631-633
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Wyrsch S, Baenninger PB, Schmid MK. Retinal injuries from a handheld laser pointer. N Engl J Med 2010; 363: 1089-1091
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar