Photostress Recovery Time in Males: Alcoholics vs Non Alcoholics

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The photostress recovery test (PSRT), dependson resynthesis of visual pigments and measures the time torecover after bleaching due to light exposure. Abnormalrecovery times in retinal diseases or toxicity suggests thatthe pathology in these conditions involves the outer layerof the retina or the pigment epithelium. Aim: 1) To measurephotostress recovery time in chronic alcoholics males; (2)To measure photostress recovery time in apparently healthymales; (3) To compare photostress recovery time in apparentlyhealthy males and chronic healthy malesMaterial and methods: Photostress recovery time wasrecorded using Photostress Recovery Tester (GT – 991Medicaid Chandigarh). The subject was presented with ahigh beam of light focused on the eyes of subjects for shortand fixed period of time. As soon as light stimulation wasover, a word was displayed on screen for subject to read andautomatically the clock started counting in seconds. Whenthe subject recognized the word displayed he pressed the stopbutton on the remote control and read it out aloud, the clockstopped counting and word disappeared.Result: The p-value was statistically significant with a valueof 0.003 showing a comparable difference of PSRT in groupI and group II.Conclusion: Alcohol predisposes nervous tissue to injury viamultiple mechanisms, including the development of oxidativestress. Retina is another among the vulnerable area for redoxchanges caused due alcohol intoxication, with lower thresholdlevels of ethanol tolerance.