Cardiac surgeons performing heart surgery face health risks especially to their eyes, hence they should take enough precaution to save themselves from radiation exposure, say nuclear experts.

Patients are not the only ones at risk during cardiac procedures. Doctors performing heart surgery also face health risks to their eyes, said International Atomic Energy Agency scientists.

The scientists are helping to raise awareness of threats through training in radiation protection related to medical uses of X-ray imaging systems.

The issue of radiation protection for medical personnel is particularly acute in case of lengthy angioplasty and other cardiac interventions performed under X-ray fluoroscopic guidance.

Scientists say the procedure can cause extensive radiation exposure to cardiologists that could lead to cataracts, alongside other longer term health risks.

Fluoroscopy provides X-ray images of a patient that physicians can view on a display screen or monitor in real time, an IAEA release said.

The IAEA is helping the medical community to address this problem through a major international initiative aimed at training cardiologists and other medical professionals in radiation protection. IAEA will be organising a study to test the eyes of interventional cardiologists participating in a regional medical conference.

The cardiology conference is organised by the Latin American Society of Interventional Cardiologists in Bogota, Colombia, IAEA said.