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EFFECT OF ANOXEMIA ON THE DARK ADAPTATION OF THE NORMAL AND OF THE VITAMIN A-DEFICIENT SUBJECT

EFFECT OF ANOXEMIA ON THE DARK ADAPTATION OF THE NORMAL AND OF THE VITAMIN A-DEFICIENT SUBJECT Abstract The tremendous increase in the sensitivity of the retina when it is kept in the dark for a prolonged period is common knowledge, and the quantitative measurement of this phenomenon is not new. It is also well known that certain pathologic conditions may affect this process of dark adaptation and give rise to varying degrees of night blindness. However, it has been only within the past decade that the knowledge of this fundamental principle has aroused widespread interest. The impetus was given by the realization that in certain metabolic disorders the course of the dark adaptation and final threshold (minimum light visible after a prolonged period in the dark) was altered. These various metabolic disorders were linked to vitamin A deficiency by numerous investigators working in separate fields. The recognition of vitamin A as one of the products of decomposition of visual purple when acted on by light and its References 1. Hecht, S.: The Relation Between Vitamin A and Dark Adaptation , J. A. M. A. 112:1910 ( (May 13) ) 1939.Crossref 2. Wald, G.; Jeghers, H., and Arminio, J.: An Experiment in Human Dietary Night-Blindness , Am. J. Physiol. 123:732 ( (Sept.) ) 1938. 3. Wald, G.: Photo-Labile Pigments of the Chicken Retina , Nature, London 140:545 ( (Sept. 25) ) 1937.Crossref 4. Wilmer, W. H., and Berens, C.: Medical Studies in Aviation: V. The Effect of Altitude on Ocular Functions , J. A. M. A. 71:1394 ( (Oct. 26) ) 1918.Crossref 5. McFarland, R. A.; Knehr, C. A., and Berens, C.: The Effects of Anoxemia on Ocular Movements While Reading , Am. J. Ophth. 20:1204 ( (Dec.) ) 1937. 6. Evans, J. N., and McFarland, R. A. : The Effects of Oxygen Deprivation on the Central Visual Field , Am. J. Ophth. 21:968 ( (Sept.) ) 1938. 7. Hecht, S., and Shlaer, S.: An Adaptometer for Measuring Human Dark Adaptation , J. Optic. Soc. America 28:269 ( (July) ) 1938.Crossref 8. Analysis of gas at different times during the series of experiments showed that the oxygen content varied from 9.8 to 10.4 per cent (by volume). 9. Eli Lilly & Co. supplied the various vitamin concentrates used throughout these experiments, and the S.M.A. Corporation, the pure vitamin A. 10. The fact that the threshold did not continue to rise after the fifth week may be due to the fact that our subject was receiving 250 to 350 units of vitamin A per day in his prescribed diet, whereas both Hecht's and Wald's experimental subjects did not receive more than 200 units per day. A few days before the subject was returned to his normal diet he was given two large doses of vitamin A concentrate by mouth (50,000 and 100,000 U. S. P. units). We did not find any precipitous drop in the threshold as noted by Wald. After two weeks of a diet high in vitamin A but without any added concentrates, our subject's threshold levels were practically as high as at the peak cf his deficiency. He was then given 50,000 units (U. S. P.) of vitamin A in gelatin capsules per day. There was no appreciable improvement at the end of one week. 11. Fischer, F. P., and Jongbloed, J.: Untersuchungen über die Dunkeladaptation bei herabgesetztem Sauerstoffdruck der Atmungsluft , Arch. f. Augenh. 109: 452, 1936. 12. Bunge, E.: Verlauf der Dunkeladaptation bei Sauerstoffmangel , Arch. f. Augenh. 110:189, 1937. 13. McFarland, R. A., and Evans, J. N.: Alterations in Dark Adaptation Under Reduced Oxygen Tension , Am. J. Physiol. 127:37 ( (Aug.) ) 1939. 14. Lehmann, J. E.: The Effect of Asphyxia on Mammalian A Nerve Fibers , Am. J. Physiol. 119:111 ( (May) ) 1937. 15. Hartline, H. K.: The Response of Single Optic Nerve Fibers of the Vertebrate Eye to Illumination of the Retina , Am. J. Physiol. 121:400 ( (Feb.) ) 1938. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Ophthalmology American Medical Association

EFFECT OF ANOXEMIA ON THE DARK ADAPTATION OF THE NORMAL AND OF THE VITAMIN A-DEFICIENT SUBJECT

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References (13)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1939 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-9950
eISSN
1538-3687
DOI
10.1001/archopht.1939.00860120052004
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract The tremendous increase in the sensitivity of the retina when it is kept in the dark for a prolonged period is common knowledge, and the quantitative measurement of this phenomenon is not new. It is also well known that certain pathologic conditions may affect this process of dark adaptation and give rise to varying degrees of night blindness. However, it has been only within the past decade that the knowledge of this fundamental principle has aroused widespread interest. The impetus was given by the realization that in certain metabolic disorders the course of the dark adaptation and final threshold (minimum light visible after a prolonged period in the dark) was altered. These various metabolic disorders were linked to vitamin A deficiency by numerous investigators working in separate fields. The recognition of vitamin A as one of the products of decomposition of visual purple when acted on by light and its References 1. Hecht, S.: The Relation Between Vitamin A and Dark Adaptation , J. A. M. A. 112:1910 ( (May 13) ) 1939.Crossref 2. Wald, G.; Jeghers, H., and Arminio, J.: An Experiment in Human Dietary Night-Blindness , Am. J. Physiol. 123:732 ( (Sept.) ) 1938. 3. Wald, G.: Photo-Labile Pigments of the Chicken Retina , Nature, London 140:545 ( (Sept. 25) ) 1937.Crossref 4. Wilmer, W. H., and Berens, C.: Medical Studies in Aviation: V. The Effect of Altitude on Ocular Functions , J. A. M. A. 71:1394 ( (Oct. 26) ) 1918.Crossref 5. McFarland, R. A.; Knehr, C. A., and Berens, C.: The Effects of Anoxemia on Ocular Movements While Reading , Am. J. Ophth. 20:1204 ( (Dec.) ) 1937. 6. Evans, J. N., and McFarland, R. A. : The Effects of Oxygen Deprivation on the Central Visual Field , Am. J. Ophth. 21:968 ( (Sept.) ) 1938. 7. Hecht, S., and Shlaer, S.: An Adaptometer for Measuring Human Dark Adaptation , J. Optic. Soc. America 28:269 ( (July) ) 1938.Crossref 8. Analysis of gas at different times during the series of experiments showed that the oxygen content varied from 9.8 to 10.4 per cent (by volume). 9. Eli Lilly & Co. supplied the various vitamin concentrates used throughout these experiments, and the S.M.A. Corporation, the pure vitamin A. 10. The fact that the threshold did not continue to rise after the fifth week may be due to the fact that our subject was receiving 250 to 350 units of vitamin A per day in his prescribed diet, whereas both Hecht's and Wald's experimental subjects did not receive more than 200 units per day. A few days before the subject was returned to his normal diet he was given two large doses of vitamin A concentrate by mouth (50,000 and 100,000 U. S. P. units). We did not find any precipitous drop in the threshold as noted by Wald. After two weeks of a diet high in vitamin A but without any added concentrates, our subject's threshold levels were practically as high as at the peak cf his deficiency. He was then given 50,000 units (U. S. P.) of vitamin A in gelatin capsules per day. There was no appreciable improvement at the end of one week. 11. Fischer, F. P., and Jongbloed, J.: Untersuchungen über die Dunkeladaptation bei herabgesetztem Sauerstoffdruck der Atmungsluft , Arch. f. Augenh. 109: 452, 1936. 12. Bunge, E.: Verlauf der Dunkeladaptation bei Sauerstoffmangel , Arch. f. Augenh. 110:189, 1937. 13. McFarland, R. A., and Evans, J. N.: Alterations in Dark Adaptation Under Reduced Oxygen Tension , Am. J. Physiol. 127:37 ( (Aug.) ) 1939. 14. Lehmann, J. E.: The Effect of Asphyxia on Mammalian A Nerve Fibers , Am. J. Physiol. 119:111 ( (May) ) 1937. 15. Hartline, H. K.: The Response of Single Optic Nerve Fibers of the Vertebrate Eye to Illumination of the Retina , Am. J. Physiol. 121:400 ( (Feb.) ) 1938.

Journal

Archives of OphthalmologyAmerican Medical Association

Published: Dec 1, 1939

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