Blue-yellow dyschromatopsia in toluene-exposed workers
Axel Muttray1, Volkmar Wolters2, Dirk-Matthias Rose2
1Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany. amuttray@uni-mainz.de.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
|January 27, 2019
Summary
Chronic occupational exposure to toluene can impair color vision, particularly blue-yellow discrimination, in exposed workers. Retinal changes may explain these toluene-induced vision deficits.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Toxicology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Toluene is a common industrial solvent with potential neurotoxic effects.
- Chronic exposure to volatile organic compounds can impact visual function.
- Understanding toluene's specific effects on color vision is crucial for worker safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of chronic occupational toluene exposure on color vision.
- To identify specific color vision deficits associated with toluene exposure.
- To compare color vision performance between toluene-exposed workers and control subjects.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated color vision in 51 toluene-exposed workers and 51 matched controls.
- Assessed exposure levels using biological monitoring (blood toluene concentration).
- Utilized multiple color vision tests including Ishihara, Farnsworth D-15, Lanthony D-15 desaturated, Velhagen, and Standard Pseudoisochromatic Plates.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in overall color vision between the exposed group and controls.
- A subset of 24 permanently exposed assistants showed impaired color vision, specifically blue-yellow errors, on the Lanthony D-15 desaturated test.
- Median toluene concentration in exposed workers was 1.59 mg/l.
Conclusions:
- Chronic toluene exposure may lead to blue-yellow dyschromatopsia.
- Potential retinal changes are hypothesized as the cause of observed color vision deficits.
- Sensitive testing is required to detect subtle visual impairments from occupational toluene exposure.
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