Canto-Pereira LHM, Lago M, Costa MF, Rodrigues AR, Saito CA, Silveira LCL, Ventura DF. Visual impairment on dentists related to occupational mercury exposure.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2005;
19:517-522. [PMID:
21783521 DOI:
10.1016/j.etap.2004.12.015]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A detailed assessment of visual function was obtained in subjects with low-level occupational mercury exposure by measuring hue saturation thresholds and contrast sensitivity functions for luminance and chromatic modulation. General practice dentists (n=15) were compared to age-matched healthy controls (n=13). Color discrimination estimated by the area of Mac Adam ellipses was impaired, showing diffuse discrimination loss. There was also reduction of contrast sensitivity for luminance and chromatic (red-green and blue-yellow) modulation, in all tested spatial frequencies. Low concentrations of urinary mercury (1.97±1.61μg/g creatinine) were found in the dentists group. Color discrimination as well as contrast sensitivity function, assessed psychophysically, constitutes a sensitive indicator of subtle neurotoxic effect of elemental mercury exposure.
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