I'm helping a young gentleman right now via email.
He got up close and personal with the scattered IR light from a DPSS pump diode.
As far as he can remember, he held the laser chassis up to his face with the lid off to examine where the pump beam was landing.
A few days later, he discovered a "cloud" of retinal burns in his peripheral vision in one eye.
He did not go to the ER and it was hard to get his parents to take him seriously.
Results, a week and a half before he saw the Eye Surgeon. He had to see an Optometrist before the Ophthalmic Surgeon would see him, resulting in more delay. If in Doubt, GO TO THE ER. Don't wait for or allow the insurance company to make long delays.
Guys, wear Goggles. This young man already had considerable experience with lasers at age 19. One day he just did not think about what he was doing.
The surgeon found one lesion and cannot see the other damage on the retina.
Prompt treatment to reduce swelling might have reduced damage in this case.
When He called, I found myself trying to wake up specialists on Christmas Eve.
We did find him a bit of professional advice on what to tell the first Doctor.
Lessons learned:
Lesions from accidental laser injuries are often behind the Retina's first Layer. The Layer behind carries the Blood flow to the Retina and Optic Nerve. . If this is the case, it is difficult to diagnose without a simple test. This test requires an injection of a harmless fluorescent dye into the bloodstream. The injection is in the Arm, not the Eyeball. A UV light then shows the dye flowing across the eyeball a few seconds later. Lesions in the Choroid may then show up as dark spots. This test is known as "Fluorescein Angiography", and is simple and almost painless.
If in doubt, press for professional treatment by getting the Doctor to talk to a Retinal Surgeon familiar with Laser Eye Surgery. Your average Eye specialist may have no experience with Laser Lesions and thus have no idea what to do.
Sadly, the damage is likely permanent.
Steve
He got up close and personal with the scattered IR light from a DPSS pump diode.
As far as he can remember, he held the laser chassis up to his face with the lid off to examine where the pump beam was landing.
A few days later, he discovered a "cloud" of retinal burns in his peripheral vision in one eye.
He did not go to the ER and it was hard to get his parents to take him seriously.
Results, a week and a half before he saw the Eye Surgeon. He had to see an Optometrist before the Ophthalmic Surgeon would see him, resulting in more delay. If in Doubt, GO TO THE ER. Don't wait for or allow the insurance company to make long delays.
Guys, wear Goggles. This young man already had considerable experience with lasers at age 19. One day he just did not think about what he was doing.
The surgeon found one lesion and cannot see the other damage on the retina.
Prompt treatment to reduce swelling might have reduced damage in this case.
When He called, I found myself trying to wake up specialists on Christmas Eve.
We did find him a bit of professional advice on what to tell the first Doctor.
Lessons learned:
Lesions from accidental laser injuries are often behind the Retina's first Layer. The Layer behind carries the Blood flow to the Retina and Optic Nerve. . If this is the case, it is difficult to diagnose without a simple test. This test requires an injection of a harmless fluorescent dye into the bloodstream. The injection is in the Arm, not the Eyeball. A UV light then shows the dye flowing across the eyeball a few seconds later. Lesions in the Choroid may then show up as dark spots. This test is known as "Fluorescein Angiography", and is simple and almost painless.
If in doubt, press for professional treatment by getting the Doctor to talk to a Retinal Surgeon familiar with Laser Eye Surgery. Your average Eye specialist may have no experience with Laser Lesions and thus have no idea what to do.
Sadly, the damage is likely permanent.
Steve
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