Anomalous phosphenes in ocular protontherapy
Khan, E. ; Marechal, F. ; Dendale, R. ; et al. ; - ASI Sponsor
Apr - 2010
DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2009.11.021
ISSN : 0273-1177 ;
journal : Advances in Space Research

Volume : 45 ; Issue : 7
type: Article Journal

Abstract
We have undertaken a clinical ground study of proton-induced light flashes (phosphenes). Patients treated at the Institut Curie – Centre de Protonthérapie in Orsay, France, received radiation therapy to cure ocular and skull-base cancers. Sixty percent of the patients treated for choroidal melanomas using 73 MeV protons report anomalous phosphenes. Delivering a radiation dose on the retina only is not sufficient to trigger the light flash. The present study may be the first indication of phosphenes triggered by protons of few tens of MeV.

keywords : Protons; Phosphenes; Light flashes; ALTEA