title: Phototoxic maculopathy induced by quartz infrared heat lamp: A clinical case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A large proportion of the output of quartz infrared heat lamps is emitted as infrared radiation (IR). Retinal damage induced by IR-A and visible light on arc welders has been reported. However, case reports of retinal damage caused by quartz infrared heat lamps are rare. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of phototoxic maculopathy induced by quartz infrared heat lamps.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a female with a 1-month history of progressive blurred vision and dysmorphopsia in her right eye after improper staring at the tubes of a quartz infrared heater. Her best corrected visual acuity of the right eye was 20/32. Optical coherence tomography revealed a defect from the ellipsoid zone to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/Bruch's complex layer with a diameter of 360mmat its widest. P1 amplitudes in the two central concentric rings were reduced as assessed by multifocal electroretinography.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient was diagnosed with phototoxic maculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient was advised to cease all exposure to the infrared heater and was treated with peribulbar injections of methylprednisolone, oral Pancreatic Kininogenase, and oral Mecobalamin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten months later, her BCVA improved to 20/20. All examination results returned to normal except for a small residual defect in the interdigitation zone and RPE/Bruch's complex layer in her optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Light emitted by quartz infrared heat lamps may cause damage to the retina through photothermal and photochemical means. The public is insufficiently aware of the hazard potential of infrared heat lamps and other IR-A sources on human retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zizhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiuying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qinghuai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006361:Heating / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*