1)
Laser safety
Laser radiation emitted by the C-LAS laser can cause severe damage to the
patient as well as to the user and third persons accompanying the laser use.
The C-LAS laser is classified in the laser class IV. This means that the radi-
ation can cause damage when it is directly applied to any tissue and also if
the radiation is scattered or reflected.
The C-LAS laser radiation is intense and efficient to evaporate and cut tissue.
The most serious injuries occur, when laser radiation is exposed to the eye.
Even low laser power is able to damage the cornea of the eye, which is not re-
versible. This may cause permanent loss of vision. The danger to the eye de-
pends on the wavelength of the radiation and on the dose (energy density per
time).
Laser radiation in the wavelength range between 400 and 1400 nm is the
most dangerous for the eye. It penetrates through the aqueous cornea, the
anterior chamber, the lens and the posterior chamber and reaches the retina
with only little or nearly no absorption.
Laser radiation in the wavelength range between 400 and 1400 nm is most
dangerous for the eye. The cornea as well as the anterior chamber, the lens
and the vitreous body of the eye contain mainly water. The other tissue com-
ponents (mainly collagen) play a minor role for the laser tissue interaction.
Between 400 and 1400 nm wavelength water has very low absorption. There-
fore the laser radiation is transmitted very well and nearly the full power
reaches the retina, where it is absorbed by the blood and the retinal pigment
ephithelium.
The C-LAS laser emits infrared laser radiation, therefore it is absolutely neces-
sary to wear eye safety goggles when using the C-LAS laser system. With its
intensity (e.g. focused beam), the C-LAS laser radiation can also do harm to
skin or other tissue. The radiation can radiation up inflammable material.
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Water absorption