Ocular effects of penetrating IR laser wavelengths

Thermal lensing in the ocular media

“…In studies for 1315-1356 nm involving CW (0.1 -1 s) exposures, damage was observed at multiple sites throughout the eye including the cornea, lens, iris and retina in the rabbit (Zuclich, Gagliano et al 1995). Similar observations were made in the rhesus save for the fact damage was never observed at the retina.…”

“…Zuclich et al report corneal damage at 1318 nm involved the full corneal thickness unlike earlier studies mentioned by Zuclich et al in the far IR, where corneal damage only involved the epithelium layer (Zuclich, Blankenstein et al 1984;Zuclich, Gagliano et al 1995). In studies for 1315-1356 nm involving CW (0.1 -1 s) exposures, damage was observed at multiple sites throughout the eye including the cornea, lens, iris and retina in the rabbit (Zuclich, Gagliano et al 1995).…”

“…Experimental safety studies in the 1300 nm regime report retinal damage thresholds for single-pulse exposures of 50 ns -650 s in rhesus subjects, while continuous wave, CW, exposures of 0.1-10 s can produce corneal lesions, but never retinal damage (Stuck, Lund et al 1980;Lund, Stuck et al 1981;Zuclich, Gagliano et al 1995;Lund, Edsall et al 1998;Zuclich, Lund et al 2001;Zuclich, Lund et al 2004;Zuclich, Lund et al 2007). …”

“…Globe geometry details for the rhesus and rabbit eye are discussed in section 2.2.2. (Zuclich, Lund et al 2004) 2 (Zuclich, Lund et al 2007) 3 (Zuclich, Lund et al 2001) 4 (Lund, Stuck et al 1981) (Zuclich, Lund et al 2004) 2 (Zuclich, Lund et al 2007) 3 (Zuclich, Lund et al 2001) 4 (Lund, Stuck et al 1981) 5 (Zuclich, Gagliano et al 1995) 6 (Stuck, Lund et al 1980) …”

Nanoparticle doping for high power fiber lasers at eye-safer wavelengths

“…Both erbium and holmium doped fiber lasers are attractive candidates for high energy lasers (HELs) used in directed energy applications because they operate at wavelengths that are both safer to the eye and in a high atmospheric transmission window. Diffuse and low intensity parasitic reflections from dust, aerosols, or the target itself can be focused onto the retina with a gain of >10 4 for wavelengths <1.4 µm [1]. Though technically not eye-safe due to the high powers employed, some degree of laser safety can be gained by operation at wavelengths >1.4 µm since the cornea, lens, vitreous-and aqueous-humor absorb the light and reduce the potential chance of retinal damage.…”