[Dyschromatopsia in subjects occupationally exposed to organic solvents]

Chromatic discrimination loss was evaluated with the Lanthony D-15 desaturated Panel among 89 workers professionally exposed to organic solvents and 114 non-exposed workers. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results reveal the following: among the non-exposed workers, the prevalence of tritanomalies and the mean colour confusion index increase with age; among the exposed workers, the prevalence of dyschromatopsia and the mean colour confusion index increase with age and with exposure level; for 4% of the moderately exposed workers and 26% of the highly exposed workers, protanomaly, deuteranomaly or scotopic loss were observed with the tritanomaly. Chromatic discrimination impairment may be an important indicator of neuro-ophthalmologic changes associated with professional exposure to organic solvents.