J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2008 Apr;49(4):681-684. 10.3341/jkos.2008.49.4.681.

A Case of Green Laser Pointer Injury to the Macula

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul Artificial Eye Center, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Seoul National University Hospital Health Care System Gangnam Center, Healthcare Reaserch Institute, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE: We report a case of macular injury by accidental exposure to a green laser pointer.
CASE SUMMARY
A 25-year-old man had an acute reduction of visual acuity in his right eye two years ago after accidental exposure to a green laser pointer for a few seconds. The patient's best corrected visual acuity was counting fingers in his right eye. Fundus examination and optical coherence tomography showed a macular hole and a linear retinal scar in his right eye.
CONCLUSIONS
Green laser pointers may cause macular damage after exposure of just a few seconds, which can lead to irreversible reduction of visual acuity.

Keyword

Green laser pointer; Macular injury

MeSH Terms

Adult
Cicatrix
Eye
Fingers
Humans
Retinal Perforations
Retinaldehyde
Tomography, Optical Coherence
Visual Acuity
Retinaldehyde

Figure

  • Figure 1. Fundus photograph shows 1.5 optic disc diameter-sized parafoveal retinal scar with temporally and superiorly extended linear retinal scars (A). Fluorescein angiography shows hyperfluorescence at the margin of the lesions and hypofluorescence in the lesion on the fovea and parafoveal area with superior and temporal lineal extensions (B).

  • Figure 2. Optical coherence tomography shows full‐ thickness macular hole (A) with adjacent detachment and scar formation (B).


Cited by  2 articles

A Case of Retinal Injury During a Laser Show
Jun Woo Chun, Young Jun Jang, Seung Woo Lee
J Korean Ophthalmol Soc. 2011;52(11):1377-1380.    doi: 10.3341/jkos.2011.52.11.1377.

A Case of Maculopathy from Handheld Green Laser Pointer
Young Jun Kim, In Young Chung, Seong Jae Kim, Jong Moon Park, Yong Seop Han
J Korean Ophthalmol Soc. 2015;56(3):447-451.    doi: 10.3341/jkos.2015.56.3.447.


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