Some aspects of radiant energy damage to the retina.

The retinae of anaesthetised Dutch rabbits were exposed to white light of various intensities * (*67--235 mW/cm2 measured at 2.5 cms from the end plate of the light guide) for a period of one h. After this period the animals were killed and tissue taken for investigation by light and electron microscopy. The higher intensities produced marked disruption of the visual cell outer and inner segments as well as a variety of morphological changes in the pigment epithelium. The highest intensity produced severe disruption of the visual cells and pigment epithelium in addition to a general disruption of the other retinal layers. Accompanying the retinal damage there was an inflammatory response in the choroid of the experimental eyes and surprisingly, at some intensities, a similar inflammatory response in the choroid of the control eye.