The Effects of Alcohol on Eye Movement.

Na, Dae Ro; Lee, Jong Bok; Im, Chung Sik

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2000;41(1):215-224.
Published online January 1, 2000.

The Effects of Alcohol on Eye Movement.

¹The Institute of Vision Research, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
²Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine.

알코올이 안구 운동에 미치는 영향

나대로(Dae Ro Na),이종복(Jong Bok Lee),임충식(Chung Sik Im)

Abstract

This is a study to determine if there is a significant relationship between eye movement and alcohol intake at and below the legal limit of 0.05% blood alcohol concentration [BAC], and to identify the minimal BAC that causes significant change in eye movement. Twenty healthy males were orally given 0.57g/kg alcohol. After the alcohol intake, the BAC was measured at 10 minute intervals along with measurements of saccadic velocity, latency, and gain of pursuit movement of the eye. Linear regression analysis between BAC < or =0.05%and saccadic velocity and latency resulted in correlation coefficients of 0.258 and 0.306 respectively[p<0.005], while gain of pursuit movement had no relation to BAC.The latency at 0.05~0.06%BAC interval increased compared with the values before alcohol intake, with statistical significance [p<0.05 ]. Although there existed variations among subjects, a significant functional change of eye movement developed at 0.05%BAC, the legal limit of alcohol.Eye movement is thought to be a valuable indicator of CNS depression by alcohol and prolonged latency of saccadic eye movement by alcohol may be the explanation for increased risk of traffic accidents after alcohol intake.

Key Words: Alcohol;Blood alcohol concentration;Latency;Pursuit eye movement;Saccadic eye movement