Laser hazards and protection

Laser is widely used in expanding application fields. If you do not pay attention to the safety protection of laser in the application process, it may cause accidental injury.

First, laser injury to the eye 

Among the laser injuries, the eye is the most serious. For the laser with a wavelength in visible and near-infrared light, the absorption rate of refractive media is low, the transmission rate is high, and the refractive media has a strong focusing ability. When high intensity visible or near-infrared light enters the eye, it can pass through the refractive medium of the human eye and accumulate light on the retina. At this time, the laser energy density and power density of the retina increased to thousands or even tens of thousands of times, a large amount of light energy in the instant gathered in the retina, resulting in rapid temperature rise of the photoreceptor layer of the retina, even the photoreceptor cell coagulation degeneration necrosis and lose the role of a photoreceptor. The coagulation denaturation of proteins caused by laser irradiation on photoreceptor cells is irreversible damage. Once damaged, it can cause permanent blindness. Far infrared laser is absorbed by the cornea, the damage to the cornea is particularly serious, mainly cause keratitis and conjunctivitis, patients feel eye pain, foreign body like stimulation, fear of light, tears, eyeball congestion, vision loss, etc. The ultraviolet laser is absorbed by the lens of the eye, and the damage to the eye is mainly the cornea and lens, which can lead to the lens and cornea turbidity.

Second,  laser damage to the skin 

Laser light on the skin, such as too much power can cause skin damage. The degree of laser damage to the skin and laser irradiation dose, laser wavelength, the color of skin, etc. Practice has proved that the greater the laser power, the greater the damage to the skin. The severity of laser damage to the skin is determined by the absorption rate of the skin to the laser, which is determined by the wavelength of the laser. The higher the absorption rate of a certain wavelength of the laser, the more serious the damage. For example, two major bands of skin damage: ultraviolet laser and infrared laser. The main effect of infrared laser on the skin is heat burn, small power leads to telangiectasia, skin redness, and fever. The degree of thermal damage increases with the increase of laser power density. Ultraviolet laser's effect on the skin is mainly light. Ultraviolet laser irradiation of the skin can cause skin erythema, aging, serious class lead to cancer.

Third, how to avoid laser damage

● Keep laser beams and spotlights out of your eyes. Avoid looking directly at the laser hole. When the laser beam is working, don't stare at it.

● Be careful when aiming the laser pointer at smooth surfaces such as water, mirrors, or metal. The intensity of the reflected beam of a laser can equal the intensity of its beam.

● Wear laser safety goggles to protect laser radiation.