PHOTOSTRESS RECOVERY TIME IN A DEFINED NIGERIAN POPULATION

Abstract

In a randomized visual screening exercise carried out in Oredo Local Government area of Edo State, weinvestigated the Photo Stress Recovery Time (PSRT) of two hundred volunteers with age ranging from 11 to 70 (mean age of 33.30 ± 12.74years). Each subject was adapted to the ambient room lighting for 5minutes thereafter a flashlight was shone into the eye for 10 seconds; PRST was assessed immediately after the 10 seconds. Results indicated that the mean PSRT distribution in the sample population ranged from10.34 ± 4.21seconds to 46.98 ± 15.83seconds for all the age groups, with males having a slightly higher PSRT than females in all the age groups except the presbyopic age group. There was a positive relationship between age and PSRT which was highly significant (r = 0.96) with a linear regression equation of PSRT = 0.785 + 0.60(age). The maximum percentage mean differencein PSRT was 27.46± 1.83%. In conclusion therefore, this study has been able to establish age related PSRT scores in a definedhealthy Nigerian population thatmay serve as a quick reference for comparing normal physiological PSRT values and PSRT values arising from impending retinal/macular lesions.