Retinal burn
Meaning of retinal burn: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, retinal burn: (a) means an acute photic injury to the retina of the eye from optical radiation passing through the eye's optical system; (b) includes: (i) arc welding radiation; (ii) atomic bomb flash; (iii) direct gazing into the sun; and (iv) non-therapeutic exposure to lasers; and (c) excludes: (i) electrical injury to the eye including the effects of lightning; (ii) external burn of the eye where the retinal burn is a component of eye burns that simultaneously affect the internal and external parts of the eye; (iii) intended or accidental retinal burns resulting from operating microscope optical radiation; (iv) ionising radiation apart from ultraviolet light; and (v) temporary effects such as dazzle, glare, after images, and flash blindness.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 25 of 2023
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting retinal burn or death from retinal burn with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having ocular exposure to laser radiation resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
Note: Not all laser eye exposures will cause retinal injuries, with the probability of laser retinal injury dependent on the laser energy delivered to the eye which is a feature of the power of the laser, irradiance (power density of the beam), and the duration of exposure.
Note: Laser exposure can be direct into the axis of the eye or indirect off a specular surface. The risk of retinal damage is increased if the laser source is viewed through magnifying devices such as binoculars, and telescopic sights.
- (2)having ocular exposure to arc welding radiation resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
Note: The probability of arc welding radiation retinal injury is dependent on the energy delivered to the eye that is a feature of the power of the welder, the irradiance (power density of the beam), the duration of exposure, and the protective equipment worn by the welder.
Note: Arc welding retinal burns are often associated with corneal and conjunctiva burns (Welder's flash), but the clinical onset of the retinal burn would have occurred at the time of the arc welding flash but may have been masked by the symptoms associated with the corneal and conjunctival burns.
- (3)having ocular exposure to the radiation from a nuclear explosion resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
- (4)having ocular exposure to the radiation from viewing of the sun with the naked eye or with an optical instrument resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
- (5)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for retinal burn;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 8(5) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 26 of 2023
5 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, retinal burn or death from retinal burn is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)having ocular exposure to laser radiation resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
Note: Not all laser eye exposures will cause retinal injuries, with the probability of laser retinal injury dependent on the laser energy delivered to the eye which is a feature of the power of the laser, irradiance (power density of the beam), and the duration of exposure.
Note: Laser exposure can be direct into the axis of the eye or indirect off a specular surface. The risk of retinal damage is increased if the laser source is viewed through magnifying devices such as binoculars, and telescopic sights.
- (2)having ocular exposure to arc welding radiation resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
Note: The probability of arc welding radiation retinal injury is dependent on the energy delivered to the eye that is a feature of the power of the welder, the irradiance (power density of the beam), the duration of exposure, and the protective equipment worn by the welder.
Note: Arc welding retinal burns are often associated with corneal and conjunctiva burns (Welder's flash), but the clinical onset of the retinal burn would have occurred at the time of the arc welding flash but may have been masked by the symptoms associated with the corneal and conjunctival burns.
- (3)having ocular exposure to the radiation from a nuclear explosion resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
- (4)having ocular exposure to the radiation from viewing of the sun with the naked eye or with an optical instrument resulting in a visual field defect or scotoma of the affected eye at the time of the clinical onset of retinal burn;
- (5)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for retinal burn;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 8(5) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
