Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function.
BACKGROUND: In 2013 five polar explorers attempted to complete the first Trans-Antarctic Winter Traverse (TAWT). This study presents the ophthalmological findings for this group, who overwintered in Antarctica as part of the White Mars Human Science Protocol. Antarctic crews are exposed to extreme c...
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ftlshtm:oai:researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk:4648378 2023-05-15T13:53:00+02:00 Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. Stahl, Matthew H Kumar, Alexander Lambert, Robert Stroud, Michael Macleod, David Bastawrous, Andrew Peto, Tunde Burton, Matthew J 2018-06-25 text https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4648378/ https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4648378/1/Antarctica%20eye%20study_GOLD%20VoR.pdf en eng BMC https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4648378/1/Antarctica%20eye%20study_GOLD%20VoR.pdf Stahl, Matthew H; Kumar, Alexander; Lambert, Robert; Stroud, Michael; Macleod, David; Bastawrous, Andrew <https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/view/creators/icruabas.html>; Peto, Tunde; Burton, Matthew J <https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/view/creators/icrumbur.html>; (2018) Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. BMC ophthalmology, 18 (1). 149-. ISSN 1471-2415 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-018-0816-0 <https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-018-0816-0> cc_by CC-BY Article PeerReviewed 2018 ftlshtm https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-018-0816-0 2022-03-03T07:20:23Z BACKGROUND: In 2013 five polar explorers attempted to complete the first Trans-Antarctic Winter Traverse (TAWT). This study presents the ophthalmological findings for this group, who overwintered in Antarctica as part of the White Mars Human Science Protocol. Antarctic crews are exposed to extreme cold, chronic hypoxia and altered day-night cycles. Previous studies of Antarctic explorers have focused on the prolonged effect of ultraviolet radiation including the development of ultraviolet keratitis and accelerated cataract formation. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the effect of overwintering in Antarctica on the human eye. METHODS: Pre and post-expedition clinical observations were made including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, colour vision, auto-refraction, subjective refraction, retinal examination, retinal autofluoresence and retinal thickness, which were graded for comparison. During the expedition additional observations were made on a monthly basis including LogMAR visual acuity, autorefraction and intraocular pressure. RESULTS: No significant differences between pre and post-expedition observations were found, including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, colour vision, refraction, visual fields, intraocular pressure and retinal examination. There was a small but statistically significant decrease in retinal thickness across all regions of the retina, except for the macular and fovea, in all explorers. Intra-expedition observations remained within normal limits. CONCLUSION: Reassuringly, the human eye remains largely unchanged by exposure to the extreme conditions encountered during the Antarctic winter, however, further research is needed to investigate changes in retinal thickness. This may have implications for scientists who spend prolonged periods of time in the polar regions, as well as those who have prolonged exposure to the extreme cold or chronic hypoxia in other settings. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: LSHTM Research Online Antarctic The Antarctic BMC Ophthalmology 18 1 |
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London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: LSHTM Research Online |
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ftlshtm |
language |
English |
description |
BACKGROUND: In 2013 five polar explorers attempted to complete the first Trans-Antarctic Winter Traverse (TAWT). This study presents the ophthalmological findings for this group, who overwintered in Antarctica as part of the White Mars Human Science Protocol. Antarctic crews are exposed to extreme cold, chronic hypoxia and altered day-night cycles. Previous studies of Antarctic explorers have focused on the prolonged effect of ultraviolet radiation including the development of ultraviolet keratitis and accelerated cataract formation. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the effect of overwintering in Antarctica on the human eye. METHODS: Pre and post-expedition clinical observations were made including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, colour vision, auto-refraction, subjective refraction, retinal examination, retinal autofluoresence and retinal thickness, which were graded for comparison. During the expedition additional observations were made on a monthly basis including LogMAR visual acuity, autorefraction and intraocular pressure. RESULTS: No significant differences between pre and post-expedition observations were found, including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, colour vision, refraction, visual fields, intraocular pressure and retinal examination. There was a small but statistically significant decrease in retinal thickness across all regions of the retina, except for the macular and fovea, in all explorers. Intra-expedition observations remained within normal limits. CONCLUSION: Reassuringly, the human eye remains largely unchanged by exposure to the extreme conditions encountered during the Antarctic winter, however, further research is needed to investigate changes in retinal thickness. This may have implications for scientists who spend prolonged periods of time in the polar regions, as well as those who have prolonged exposure to the extreme cold or chronic hypoxia in other settings. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Stahl, Matthew H Kumar, Alexander Lambert, Robert Stroud, Michael Macleod, David Bastawrous, Andrew Peto, Tunde Burton, Matthew J |
spellingShingle |
Stahl, Matthew H Kumar, Alexander Lambert, Robert Stroud, Michael Macleod, David Bastawrous, Andrew Peto, Tunde Burton, Matthew J Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
author_facet |
Stahl, Matthew H Kumar, Alexander Lambert, Robert Stroud, Michael Macleod, David Bastawrous, Andrew Peto, Tunde Burton, Matthew J |
author_sort |
Stahl, Matthew H |
title |
Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
title_short |
Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
title_full |
Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
title_fullStr |
Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
title_sort |
antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4648378/ https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4648378/1/Antarctica%20eye%20study_GOLD%20VoR.pdf |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_relation |
https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4648378/1/Antarctica%20eye%20study_GOLD%20VoR.pdf Stahl, Matthew H; Kumar, Alexander; Lambert, Robert; Stroud, Michael; Macleod, David; Bastawrous, Andrew <https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/view/creators/icruabas.html>; Peto, Tunde; Burton, Matthew J <https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/view/creators/icrumbur.html>; (2018) Antarctica eye study: a prospective study of the effects of overwintering on ocular parameters and visual function. BMC ophthalmology, 18 (1). 149-. ISSN 1471-2415 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-018-0816-0 <https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-018-0816-0> |
op_rights |
cc_by |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-018-0816-0 |
container_title |
BMC Ophthalmology |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1766257950716854272 |