The site of damage and threshold at which damage occurs depends on the wavelength, whether it is a small or extended source, the exposure duration, whether it is continuous wave or pulsed, and, if pulsed, the pulse length and pulse repetition frequency.
Operating lasers under reduced external light conditions increases the optical hazards because of pupil dilation.
The Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) is the level of laser radiation that a person may be exposed to without experiencing adverse health effects. Contact the LSO for assistance in calculating the MPE.
| SPECTRUM | LOCATION | EFFECT |
|---|---|---|
| UV-C (200-280 nm) | Cornea | Photokeratitis |
| UV-B (280-315 nm) | Cornea | Photokeratitis |
| UV-A (315-400 nm) | Lens | Cataract |
| Visible (400-780 nm) | Retina | Retinal injury* |
| IR-A (780-1400 nm) | Retina, Lens | Retinal burn, cataract |
| IR-B (1400-3000 nm) | Cornea, Lens | Corneal burn, cataract |
| IR-C (3000-1000000 nm) | Cornea | Corneal burn |
| * Retinal injury can be thermal, acoustic or photochemical. | ||
| SPECTRUM | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| UV-C (200-280 nm) | Erythema, cancer, accelerated aging |
| UV-B (280-315 nm) | Erythema, increased pigmentation, cancer, accelerated aging |
| UV-A (315-400 nm) | Erythema, increased pigmentation, skin burn |
| Visible (400-780 nm) | Photosensitive reactions, skin burn |
| IR-A (780-1400 nm) | Skin burn |
| IR-B (1400-3000 nm) | Skin burn |
| IR-C (3000-1000000 nm) | Skin burn |