Laser-induced retinal damage threshold for repetitive-pulse exposure to 100-μs pulses

摘要

The laser-induced retinal injury thresholds for repetitive-pulse exposures to 100-μs-duration pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm have been determined for exposures of up to 1000 pulses in an in vivo model. The ED_(50) was measured for pulse repetition frequencies of 50 and 1000 Hz. Exposures to collimated beams producing a minimal retinal beam spot and to divergent beams producing a 100-μm-diameter retinal beam spot were considered. The ED_(50) for a 100-μs exposure was measured to be 12.8 μJ total intraocular energy for a minimal retinal beam spot exposure and 18.1 μJ total intraocular energy for a 100-μm-diameter retinal beam spot. The threshold for exposures to N ＞ 1 pulse was found to be the same for both pulse repetition frequencies. The variation of the ED_(50) with the number of pulses is described well by the probability summation model, in which each pulse is considered an independent event. This is consistent with a threshold-level damage mechanism of microcavitation for single-pulse 100-μs-duration exposures. The data support the maximum permissible exposure levels for repetitive-pulse exposure promulgated in the most recent laser safety guidelines.