Photic maculopathy by arc welding. A case report

The authors report the case of a photic maculopathy that developed in an arc welder after 5 to 10 minutes of exposure to the bright light of an electric arc, even though the young worker was wearing protective eye glasses. Pigmented foveal changes and a small central scotoma in both eyes without anomalies on fluorescein angiography characterized this maculopathy, that had a favorable course with corticosteroid therapy. Aetiopathogenetic aspects are discussed.