![]() It is released into the air when coal and other fossil fuels are burned. It is used in some thermometers, dental amalgams, fluorescent light bulbs, some electrical switches, mining, and some industrial processes. The three forms are called elemental (or metallic) mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds.Įlemental mercury is liquid at room temperature. It exists in three forms that have different properties, usage, and toxicity. Mercury poisoning Mercury vapor Occupational exposure Optical coherence tomography (OCT), ocular Electrofisiology.Mercury is an element and a metal that is found in air, water, and soil. Although neurologic and visual pathway involvement was clearly demonstrated, the differences found compared to control support the existence of a direct functional retinal damage and participation in impaired vision in mercury poisoning. In this case series, showed that acute exposure to mercury vapor had a hazardous effect on the visual system. Significant negative correlations among blood mercury levels, VA, and ffERG were observed. The reduced amplitude of the b wave at the ffERG, of the P50 at the PERG and of the P1 wave at the mfERG results (p < 0.05) suggested that the outer retina was involved. Latencies over 100 milliseconds and reduced amplitudes of P100 were found in the PRVEP (p < 0.05). No morphologic changes were seen in the OCT scans. VF alterations were identified in 72.4% (n = 21) patients. Loss of CS in at least one of four spatial frequencies and color vision alterations occurred in 96.5% (n = 28) and 44.8% (n = 13), respectively. The VA was slightly affected in 48.27% (n = 14) of subjects. ![]() The EMG showed sensorimotor polyneuropathy and multiple mononeuropathy. Twenty-six workers exhibited symptoms of erethism. ![]() In addition, electrophysiological data from those patients with deeper VF defects (group 1) were compared with a normal control group. The correlations between variables also were studied. The pattern reversal visual-evoked potentials (PRVEP), full-field and multifocal electroretinography (ffERG/mfERG), pattern electroretinography (PERG), systemic symptoms, presence of erethism, and electromyography (EMG) were also gathered. Mercury levels in blood and urine samples, visual acuity (VA), contrast sensitivity (CS), visual field (VF), color discrimination and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were recorded. Twenty-nine patients and 16 controls were evaluated in a comparative case series. The purpose of this paper is to report findings in workers acutely exposed to very high concentrations of mercury vapor with the aim of providing data on a possible direct retinal involvement. There are few clinical data on retinal involvement after acute exposure to high concentrations mercury and the available reports are based on a small number of patients suffering chronic exposure. 9 Unit of Clinical Toxicology, Río Hortega University Hospital, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.8 Department of Internal Medicine, Río Hortega University Hospital, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.7 University Hospital of Burgos, Burgos, Spain.6 Puerta del Mar University Hospital of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain. 5 Cooperative Health Network for Research in Ophthalmology Oftared, National Institute of Health Carlos III, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain. 4 Institute of Applied Ophthalmobiology (IOBA), Eye Institute, University of Valladolid, Campus Miguel Delibes, P° de Belén n° 17, 47011, Valladolid, Spain.3 Clinic University Hospital of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.2 Cooperative Health Network for Research in Ophthalmology Oftared, National Institute of Health Carlos III, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.1 Institute of Applied Ophthalmobiology (IOBA), Eye Institute, University of Valladolid, Campus Miguel Delibes, P° de Belén n° 17, 47011, Valladolid, Spain.
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