24
(visual acuity, arcus senilis, accommodation, retinal arteriosclerosis) have been recorded.8-13.32
1. General Findings
Some general observations on the eyes of the
Marshallese have indicated differences from the
eves of U.S. Caucasians which may be related to
ethnic backgroundand possibly to environmental
factors. The major eve findingsfor the past 5 years
are listed in Table 14.
The high incidence of pingueculae and pterygia
is the most notable findinglisted in the table. This
has been found by others to be characteristic of
people living on low coral atolls in the Pacific and
is thoughtto be related to irritation of the eyes by
coral dust, salt water, and bright sunlight. The
other majorfindingslisted were related to general
aging effects (loss of visual acuity, cataract forma-
tion, loss of accommodation, loss of ocular muscle
balance, etc.) and these appeared to occur to a
lesser degree in the Marshallese than in Americans, although theincidence of arcussenilis and
cataracts seemed higher. The Marshallese hadless
myopia, aberrationsof color vision, and amblv-
Table 14+
Ophthalmological Findings, 1970-1974
Rongelap and
Ailingnae exposed
(70*)
Rongelap unexposed
(133*)
Utirik exposed
(100*}
Ocular condition
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
Anisocoria
Arcus senilis
Argyll-Robertson pupil
Chalazion |
1
22
l
3
1.4
31.5
L4
4.3
0
34
0
1
0
25.5
0
0.75
0
2t
0
0
0
21
0
0
0
0
1.50
0
0
2
3.0
Choroiditis
Congenital defects
Conjunctivitis
2
2
Corneal pigment
0
Drusen
0
Corneal scar
3.0
3.0
2
0
2
0
0
2
. 1.50
0
0)
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
Glaucoma, primary
Glaucoma. secondary
Lens:
0
0
0
0
0
lt
Cataracts
Lenticular opacities
12
9
17.0
13.0
26
14
Macular degenerggpn
Night vision impairment
Nystagmus
Phthisis bulbi
2
0
1
1
3.0
0
1.4
1.4
l
0
2
0
Polychromatic sheen
Pinguecula
Positive Romberg
Proptosis
Prerygium
Ptosis
Retinal arteriosclerosis
Retinal hemorrhages
Retinalscars
Retinopathy, diabetic
Strabismus
Uveitis
Vitreous opacities
Xanthoma
“Numberof people examined .
1.4
7
10.0
7
10.0
I
I
14
1.4
17
2
24.0
3.0 -
2
3.0
il
13
6
0
0
0.75
19.5
10.5
10.0
0.75
0
15
0
4.5
!
0
l
!
0
0
0
0
20
17
20
7
I
0
0
0
I
0
0
0
17
7
7
7
0
0
41
0
31.0
0
29
0.
29
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.75
0
1
0
1
1
‘19
2
0
2
3.0
0.
3.0
2
0
2
t
1.4
1.4
3.0
0
1
0
15.7
1
2
3.75
0
I
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
Enophthalmos
Enucleation
1.50
0
0
1
0
0.75
14.0
15
0
1.5
0
0
I
3
2
3
0
0
t
3
2
3
0