Researchers have identified early indicators of retinal injury and inflammation that may help detect individuals exposed to blast-wave pressure who are at risk of visual impairment, possibly resulting in more timely treatment.
According to researchers, while there has been a dramatic increase in the number of military personnel and civilians exposed to blast-wave pressure, there is a lack of validated biomarkers and limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of retinal injury due to blast exposure.
Researchers reportedly used a mouse model and found retinas exposed to laboratory-induced blast-wave pressure displayed several pathological changes. Eyes on the same side as the blast showed greater abnormalities than eyes on the other side, and researchers reportedly found accumulation of tau — the protein associated with pathologies of the central nervous system including Alzheimer disease.
Investigators believe the retina may serve as an area of the central nervous system that is more vulnerable, making it an effective and more sensitive indicator of low-level injury due to blast-wave pressure.
The study was recently published in The American Journal of Pathology.
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