Perforating eye injuries from external rear vision mirrors

Purpose: To highlight external rear vision mirrors as a cause of ocular injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Methods: Three cases of perforating eye injuries due to shattered external rear vision mirrors in motor vehicle accidents are described. The relevant Australian design rules are reviewed. Results/Conclusion: External rear vision mirrors can be responsible for serious ocular injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Further investigation of the incidence of such injuries is required to determine whether vehicle manufacturing methods and the design rules covering their production warrant revision.     

CONTROL OF OCULAR HAZARDS

The basic approach to the control of ocular hazards must be consistent with standard safety engineering techniques used in controlling any other specific hazards. Eye hazards, as they exist in the plant, must be identified and then eliminated wherever possible by an alternative non-hazardous process or controlled by the installation of engineering devices. For any residual eye hazards an appropriate eye protector must be selected and provided for the operators concerned. Australian Standards CZ7, 27 and Z45 — 1967 Industrial Eye Protection is a comprehensive document and a most valuable source of information on all aspects of eye protection. Table 1 of CZ 7 itemises the hazards by group and type, the typical processes giving rise to such hazards, typical methods of controlling the hazards and the suitable types of eye protectors with notes on their usage. Eye hazards will vary considerably both in extent and severity depending on the nature of the industry. In general however, the hazard of flying fragments, particles and objects is the most extensive found in industry and the related eye protector in the form of safely spectacles accordingly assumes major significance in an eye protection program.     

Sports eyewear protective standards

Eye injuries sustained during sport comprise up to 20 per cent of all injuries to the eye serious enough for medical attention to be sought. The prevalence of eye injuries in sport is not easily assessed due to lack of authoritative participation rates, so most studies report total numbers in a time period. The evidence on the proportion of all ocular injuries that are from sport is reviewed. The relative frequencies in different sports are compared in a qualitative manner and the sports with greater numbers of ocular injuries are detailed. In common with occupational injuries to the eye, most sports eye injuries are considered preventable. The hierarchy of action for occupational risk is detailed and adapted to use in a sports scenario. All the available international, regional and national standards on sports eye protection are detailed and their provisions compared. The major function of the standards is to provide adequate protection against the hazard of the sport concerned. These are detailed and compared as a function of energy transfer. Eye protection must not introduce additional or secondary hazards (for instance, fracturing into sharp fragments on impact) and not introduce features that would deter the wearing of eye protection (for instance, restricting field of view to impede playing the sport). The provisions of the standards intended to limit secondary hazards are detailed and compared. The need for future work in standards writing and the activities of the International Standardization Organization in sports eye protection are detailed.     

A proposed UVR protection factor for sunglasses

Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) has been long suspected as a causative factor in the aetiology of cataracts and recent scientific evidence has reinforced this viewpoint. The public and, in particular, outdoor workers need to take positive action to protect their eyes and the wearing of sunglasses can provide this protection. The Standards Association of Australia (SAA) has issued a standard covering the transmission requirements of sunglasses¹ (AS 1067 – 1990) and sunglasses complying with this standard offer substantial protection against ambient solar UVR. However, many sunglasses offer additional protection above that required by the standard. A UVR protection factor for sunglasses, analogous to the sun protection factor (SPF) for sunscreens, would allow the public to make an informed choice when purchasing sunglasses. Measurements of the transmittance of more than 250 pairs of sunglasses and protective eye wear have been made at the Australian Radiation Laboratory. Convolution of the spectral effectiveness of UVR on the eye (action spectrum) with the solar spectrum and the sunglass transmittance can give an estimate of the amount of protection different sunglasses offer. This method provides the means for rating sunglasses and producing the relevant protection factors. Calculations show that the concept of protection factor is viable for the different sunglass types.     

Safety goggles should be worn by Australian workers

Eye injuries in the workplace are a major cause of morbidity and disability, despite well publicised standards for industrial eye protection. A prospective survey of 51 patients presenting to a metropolitan emergency department with a work-related eye injury revealed that 32 injuries (63%), occurred to workers wearing some form of protective eye wear. However only seven (14%) were wearing eye protection that complied with the Australian Standard AS 1336 for occupational eye protection. Thirty-six patients (71 %) had suffered previous eye injuries at work. Most injuries were'caused by medium velocity particles generated by power tools, generally causing superficial corneal injury. We conclude that education to reduce the widespread misuse of safety glasses by tradespeople and trades assistants during tasks for which goggles are recommended could considerably reduce the incidence of occupational eye injuries.     

Optometric education in Nigeria

A 3-year optometry program was established at the University of Benin, Nigeria in 1973. The program is considered from the standpoint of curriculum, faculty, clinical instruction, and grading. Some background is given about Nigeria itself. Present eye care facilities are reviewed as well as the increasing requirements of a developing nation. The need of strong support from established optometry schools is indicated.     

Industrial vision revisited.

With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and other government agencies addressing the protection of employees from occupational hazards at their work place, there has been a reemphasis in the industrial eye care field. Industrial vision programs are reviewed and an overview of the Army's occupational vision program is presented. If optometry is to continue progress in this sphere of public health, optometrists must become more involved in and knowledgeable of the visual requirements of the local industrial community, and the profession should consider the establishment of a certification program for occupational doctors of optometry.     

洛阳市眼外伤流行病学研究

目的研究本地区眼外伤的流行病学特征。方法连续入选2007年2月至2009年3月住院的眼外伤296例（325眼）,对性别、年龄、文化程度、职业、受伤地点等人口学特征及受伤类型、病因进行回顾性分析,了解眼外伤的流行病学状况。结果眼外伤常见于男性,受伤年龄趋势集中在31～64岁,文化程度以初中以下文化为多,主要是工人和农民,受伤地点高发于工业场所,其次为公共场所。最常见的眼外伤是眼球挫伤（41.54%）,致伤病因多为钝器伤（29.85%）和肢体打击伤（20.00%）。此外非机动车祸伤多于机动车祸伤。结论初中文化程度以下的一线工人和农民为眼外伤的高危人群,有必要对此类人群强化岗前教育并在作业中进行必要的安全防护措施。     

基于角膜接触镜的眼部长效给药技术研究进展

传统眼用制剂如滴眼液等存在药物利用率低、患者依从性差等问题。用于视力矫正的角膜接触镜(CL)具有良好的生物相容性和长期配戴舒适度,并能延长药物停留时间、提高生物利用度,成为很有前景的眼部给药载体。为了提高CL的药物负载量并延长药物释放时间,研究者开发了多种策略对传统CL进行改良,包括引入维生素E分子屏障,基于分子印迹技术制备CL,引入特定基团以增加药物与聚合物基质之间的相互作用,负载胶体纳米颗粒或载药聚合物薄膜等。本文综述了载药CL的各种制备方法及其优缺点,并简要评述了CL作为眼部药物递送载体存在的问题及未来发展方向。     

Physiological basis for the lighting levels in the transition zone of tunnels. Comparison of CIE and DIN with the IES recommendations

The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) has adopted recommendations for the luminance transition in a tunnel that deviate greatly from the curves proposed by the international Commission on Illumination (CIE) and contained in the DIN Standards (German Standards). The IES has based its guidelines on practical considerations but they have neither scientific nor experimental foundation. In order to clarify the discrepancy, the physiological processes of adaptation of the eye during a change in luminance have been modeled, and their impact on the required luminance in the transition necessary to ensure visibility have been derived. Using Fry's model for the kinetics of the eye's response, and Adrian's delta L model, the course of the luminance transition has been calculated. The results are compared with the IES and the CIE standards. A comparison of the resulting curve with that suggested by the CIE reveals small differences only. In general the comparison indicates that the experimentally determined CIE curve agrees with results derived from the fundamentals of dark adaptation. However, the IES suggestion falls short. An eye requires about twice as long to adapt to the luminance transition as is considered in the IES proposal.     

Photoreceptor protection against constant light-induced damage by isopropyl unoprostone, a prostaglandin F(2alpha) metabolite-related compound.

Some of the antiglaucoma drugs have shown neuroprotective effects in ischemic retinal damage and optic nerve injury. We studied photoreceptor protection against constant light-induced damage using isopropyl unoprostone, a prostaglandin F(2alpha) metabolite-related compound. Albino Sprague-Dawley rats were administered isopropyl unoprostone solution intravitreally in one eye (the test eye) and vehicle alone in the contralateral eye (the control eye) and were exposed to constant light for 7 days. Histological examinations were performed to evaluate photoreceptor protection by quantifying the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and scoring the rescue of ONL. Seven-day constant light affected photoreceptors and produced a marked disruption of photoreceptor outer segments and inner segments and a decrease in the thickness of the ONL. As compared with control eyes, pretreatment by intravitreal administration of isopropyl unoprostone 2 days prior to constant light exposure provided protection from the light insult, and the effects of rescue were dependent on the dose of the agent (0.6-6.0 microg), the maximum dose protecting about 70% of the photoreceptors. Topical application of the drug had little rescue effect. Aberrant macrophages in light-exposed eyes with unoprostone injection were more numerous than in normal eyes, but the extent did not differ significantly from that of degenerated eyes injected with vehicle only. Isopropyl unoprostone has shown protection of photoreceptors against constant light-induced damage, and it is thus suggested that the agent has neuroprotective activity in vivo.     

THE TRANSMISSION PROPERTIES OF SOME COMMERCIAL OPHTHALMIC TINTED LENSES

The transmission properties of 54 standard ophthalmic tints are compared to the requirements of Australian Standard AS 1067–1971 Sunglass Lenses. Variations in luminous density for solid ophthalmic tints with back vertex power is considered In relation to this standard.     

Functional assessment of head-eye coordination during vehicle operation.

PURPOSE: Visual impairment, resulting from ocular abnormalities or brain lesions, can significantly affect driving performance. The impact of vestibulopathy on head-eye coordination is also a concern in vehicle operation safety, yet to date there has been little functional research in this area. An understanding of decrements in driving ability resulting from visual and vestibular pathology, plus the differences in visual strategies used by novice and experienced drivers, would benefit from an objective analysis of head-eye coordination during vehicle operation. METHODS: We have developed a laptop-based system for measuring eye, head, and vehicle movement in real time. Digital video cameras mounted on lightweight swimming goggles are used to provide images of the eye and scene, allowing assessment of gaze. In addition, the use of inertial measurement units to simultaneously transduce head and vehicle movement allows us to evaluate the vestibular contribution to stable vision. RESULTS: Data was obtained from a flight simulator and while driving a car. During banking turns in the flight simulator, there was a sustained roll tilt of the head and eyes toward the scene-derived visual vertical with a combined gain of approximately 25%. One of the most complex visual tasks when driving was exiting a multistory car park, which involved the scanning of hundreds of parked vehicles with an average fixation time of approximately 100 ms. The vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex was also found to make a significant contribution to the maintenance of dynamic visual acuity even while driving on paved surfaces. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the viability of functional assessment of head-eye coordination during vehicle operation, and potential applications of this technology to driver assessment are discussed. Analysis of both active and reflex contributions to gaze may provide a clearer understanding of the impact of visual and vestibular impairment on driving ability.     

Sunglasses and sunglass standards

Sunglasses and sunglass standards are reviewed from the point of view of the history of sunglasses and the development of sunglass standards. The need for eye protection from solar radiation is discussed and the provisions of the various national sunglass standards are discussed in relation to that need.     

Assessment of fogging resistance of anti-fog personal eye protection

The propensity for occupational eye protectors to fog in warm and moist conditions is often offered as a reason by workers not to wear occupational eye protection even where mandatory eye protection areas have been specified. A study of eye protection practices in the New South Wales coal mining industry identified the number one issue in underground coal mine conditions as being fogging of eye safety wear. Conventional anti-fog treatments and cleaners were considered by the miners as completely inadequate in these conditions. At the time of the study claims were being made for a new generation of lens treatments. These merited evaluation. Spectacles and goggles claimed to be fog resistant were obtained from manufacturers and suppliers and subjected to the test set out in BS EN 168 and the compliance criterion of BS EN 166. Some lenses claimed to be fog resistant failed the requirement, some new technology lenses showed arguably superior performance but failed the criterion of the standard. Modifications to the test procedure of BS EN 168 and acceptance criteria of BS EN 166 are proposed.     

Nordic research in ophthalmology

PURPOSE: To provide an overview of some of the current activities in eye research in the Nordic countries. METHODS: The presentations at the biannual Nordic Congress of Ophthalmology, held in Tampere, Finland in 2002, were reviewed and the contributions found most noteworthy are included in this article along with a limited discussion of each research field. However, space requirements prevented the inclusion of many interesting scientific contributions. RESULTS: Important contributions in various subfields of eye research and ophthalmology are reviewed. These include cornea, cataract, paediatric ophthalmology, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, age-related macular degeneration, physiology and pharmacology and oncology. CONCLUSIONS: Eye research is very active in the Nordic countries and significant contributions are being made to ophthalmology in several fields on a world scale. We hope to continue to review Nordic contributions to eye research after each Nordic Congress of Ophthalmology and plan to make the reviews more systematic and comprehensive in the future.     

Eye Movement Recording as a Clinical Tool

Quantitative recording and analysis of eye movements are valuable tools in the diagnosis and management of eye movement abnormalities. There have been improvements in techniques of stimulating, recording, and measuring eye movements, and the value of systematically testing the several, different types of movements (ocular motor subsystems) has been recognized. The advantages and disadvantages of commonly used eye movement recording techniques are reviewed. The examination of saccades, pursuit, optokinetic nystagmus, vestibulo-ocular response, and interactions between ocular motor subsystems is described. Disorders that commonly impair each type of eye movement are discussed. Many disorders produce characteristic patterns of eye movement abnormalities, that can be demonstrated by recordings. Several of these disorders are reviewed. Quantitative studies are helpful in detecting mild, subclinical impairment of eye movements and in following the clinical course of disorders, such as cranial nerve palsies. Perhaps, the most significant clinical contribution of quantitative studies has been to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the clinician's examination without the techniques of the eye movement laboratory. By comparing his observations with those from recordings, he can learn to recognize mild impairment of eye movement subsystems and characteristic patterns of abnormalities.     

Orbital floor fractures and their treatment

Orbital floor fractures can occur with or without any associated fractures of the middle third of the facial skeleton. Fifty-one patients with a unilateral "black eye" after motor vehicle accidents were reviewed. The fractures involving the orbital floor were analysed. The clinical signs and symptoms, with results of radiological examination, are discussed. The various treatment modalities and their postoperative complications are discussed.