The ocular manifestations and functional effects of occupational argyrosis
A. P. Moss, A. Sugar, N. A. Hargett, A. Atkin, M. Wolkstein and K. D. Rosenman
Thirty employees of an industrial plant involved in the manufacture of
silver nitrate and silver oxide underwent ophthalmologic evaluation in an
effort to evaluate the frequency and extent of ocular argyrosis. The most
frequently noted ocular abnormality was pigmentation of the conjunctiva,
present in 20 workers; corneal pigmentation occurred in 15 workers. A
direct relationship existed between the levels of pigmentation and duration
of employment. Ocular pigmentation was seen more frequently than cutaneous
pigmentation. Ten workers noted decreased night vision, but
electrophysiologic and psychophysiologic studies of seven of these ten
workers demonstrated no functional deficits.