Speaker
Description
Since 1961, the year of the first manned mission outside the Earth, history has shown that the
human being may venture in space. Yet, visual impairment is the top health risk for long-duration
spaceflight. It is well known that the effects of cosmic rays and microgravity are detrimental for the
human eye so that cataract and especially the so-called ‘‘spaceflight-related neuro-ocular syndrome
(SANS)’’ are the main concern of NASA. SANS is characterized by optic nerve head swelling and
flattening of the eye. Its pathogenesis is still unclear, even if it seems dependent on the cephalad fluid
shift that occurs in microgravitational condition In turn, cataract is related to the effect of galactic
cosmic rays on the lens of the eye. In both cases visual acuity is compromised. Centrifuges,
pressurizing chambers, and mechanical counter-pressure suits have been advanced to counteract the
upward fluid shift responsible for the SANS syndrome. Shields with a high content of hydrogen,
magnetic shielding systems, and wearable radiation shielding devices are under study to mitigate the
exposure to galactic cosmic rays. Indeed, effective remediation is mandatory in anticipation of long
space missions and Moon and Mars colonization.