Ocular effects of ultraviolet radiation from 295 to 365 nm

A 5,000 watt Xe--Hg source and a double monochromator were used to produce 6.6 nm full band-pass ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Pigmented rabbit eyes were exposed to the 6.6 nm band-pass UV radiant energy in 5 nm steps from 295 to 320 nm and at random intervals above 320 nm. Corneal and lenticular damage was assessed and classified with a biomicroscope. Corneal threshold radiant exposure (Hc) rose very rapidly from 0.022 Jcm-2 at 300 nm to 10.99 Jcm-2 at 335 nm. Radiant exposures exceeding 2 x Hc resulted in irreversible corneal damage. Lenticular damage was limited to wavebands above 295 nm. The action spectrum for the lens began at 295 nm and extended to about 315 nm. Permanent lenticular damage occurred at radiant exposure levels approximately twice the threshold for lenticular radiant exposure. The importance in establishing both corneal and lenticular damage criteria is emphasized