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OCULAR INJURY FROM CO 2 LASER IRRADIATION
Author(s) -
GEERAETS WALTER J.,
FINE BEN S.,
FINE S.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1969.tb05612.x
Subject(s) - commonwealth , library science , medicine , citation , ophthalmology , history , computer science , archaeology
Generation of coherent clectromagnetic radiation by stimulated emission utilizing solid state lasers, liquid lasers and gaseous lasers extends spectrally from the ultraviolet to the far infrared. The power range of such devices is from milliwatts to gigawatts. They may be operated as pulsed lasers, ranging from fractions of a nanosecond to several milliseconds. or they may produce continuous radiation (CW). Their unique properties lie in their tlirectionality, monochromaticity and coherency. At the COZ laser wavelength (10.6 p) , biological structures, transparent for the visible spectral range (400-750 nm), become opaque. About 67 "/o of the incident energy of the COB laser energy is absorbed in the first 10 p of tissue with which it interacts whereas atmospheric attenuation is relatively low in comparison with that a t wavelengths of the visible spectral region. These characteristics of CO-, laser radiation may resuit in severe ocular injury primarily involving the cornea and possibly deeper within the anterior segment of the eye, depending upon the energy and power deasities and distribution on the cornea.