Retinal functional changes after whole body gamma-irradiation

Retinal functional changes were evaluated, after gamma-irradiation of rabbits, at doses 1-5 Gy, by studying the electroretinogram (ERG) and retinal impedance. Records were immediately carried out after irradiation and at 7 days post irradiation. Results indicated that, at all of the doses used, radiation damage to the retina appeared as changes in electrical impedance and alterations of latency, amplitude and duration of ERG components. These changes appeared at 1 and 2 Gy and progressively increased at 3 and 5 Gy, after 7 days of exposure. The changes indicated a functional alteration of photoreceptors (significant decrease or complete disappearance of the a-wave accompanied by an increase in its latency), an impairment in Muller's and bipolars cells (decrease of the b-wave amplitude with an increase in its duration) and also in the pigment epithelium cells (a decrease in the c-wave amplitude with a significant increase in its duration).