Biomaterial Database

Safe exposure times for slit-lamp fundus biomicroscopy with high plus lenses. 2001

A Denial, and M Hanley

New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to calculate the retinal irradiance and maximum permissible exposure time (MPE) using high plus fundus biomicroscopy lenses. METHODS Four Volk handheld condensing lenses (+78 D, +90 D, Superfield NC, and Super 66) were tested with biomicroscopes from three manufacturers (Nikon, Topcon, and Zeiss) on both high and medium illumination. Using the conservation of radiance theorem, the retinal irradiance was calculated and. with guidelines from the American National Standard Institute (ANSI). the maximum permissible exposure time was determined. RESULTS The range of MPE time across all lenses and biomicroscopes was from 23 seconds to 74 seconds on high illumination setting. The average MPE times were: for the +78 D, 36 seconds; the Superfield NC, 57 seconds; the Super 66, 32 seconds; and the +90 D, 52 seconds. CONCLUSIONS Retinal irradiances and safe exposure times are useful guidelines in both the clinical and academic setting. Fundus biomicroscopy with non-contact high plus condensing lenses produced calculated retinal irradiances and MPE times similar to those of other commonly used ophthalmic equipment. Awareness of the maximum permissible exposure time increases the safety of this valuable technique.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007909	Lenses	Pieces of glass or other transparent materials used for magnification or increased visual acuity.
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008853	Microscopy	The use of instrumentation and techniques for visualizing material and details that cannot be seen by the unaided eye. It is usually done by enlarging images, transmitted by light or electron beams, with optical or magnetic lenses that magnify the entire image field. With scanning microscopy, images are generated by collecting output from the specimen in a point-by-point fashion, on a magnified scale, as it is scanned by a narrow beam of light or electrons, a laser, a conductive probe, or a topographical probe.	Compound Microscopy,Hand-Held Microscopy,Light Microscopy,Optical Microscopy,Simple Microscopy,Hand Held Microscopy,Microscopy, Compound,Microscopy, Hand-Held,Microscopy, Light,Microscopy, Optical,Microscopy, Simple
D009885	Ophthalmology	A surgical specialty concerned with the structure and function of the eye and the medical and surgical treatment of its defects and diseases.	Ocular Surgery,Ocular Surgeries,Surgery, Ocular
D012160	Retina	The ten-layered nervous tissue membrane of the eye. It is continuous with the OPTIC NERVE and receives images of external objects and transmits visual impulses to the brain. Its outer surface is in contact with the CHOROID and the inner surface with the VITREOUS BODY. The outer-most layer is pigmented, whereas the inner nine layers are transparent.	Ora Serrata
D004867	Equipment Design	Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware.	Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D004869	Equipment Safety	Freedom of equipment from actual or potential hazards.	Device Safety,Hazards, Equipment,Medical Device Safety,Safety, Equipment,Device Safety, Medical,Safety, Medical Device,Equipment Hazard,Equipment Hazards,Hazard, Equipment,Safety, Device
D005126	Eye Burns	Injury to any part of the eye by extreme heat, chemical agents, or ultraviolet radiation.	Burn, Eye,Burns, Eye,Eye Burn
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor