The genotoxic effects of UV are well known, which includes the formation of pyrimidine dimers,  several photoproducts, and the strand breaks (single and/or double strand). Most of these defects are repaired within 48 hours of the radiation exposure through ‘DNA repair mechanism’ and no traces of these would be expected in a long-term unless the damage is severe enough to be recovered by repair mechanism, which in turn would lead to mutagenesis.

I am planning some experiments to investigate the Genotoxicity of UV exposure on an animal cornea. What DNA defects that can be identified in the laboratory would I expect after the fourth week of radiation exposure (as most of them would repair)? Clinically cornea would show its stress in the form of opacities and pigmentation (? and probably oedema as well).