title: Safety parameters for avoiding acute ocular damage from the reflected CO2 (10.6 microns) laser beam.
abstract: Reflections from instruments in the surgical field involving the CO2 laser beam present a serious ocular hazard. In addition to the use of plastic or glass protective eyewear, this hazard can be minimized by utilizing anodized instruments and recognizing the specific distances at which various reflections are no longer hazardous depending upon certain variables, including laser output wattage, emergent beam lengths, and surface characteristics of the reflecting instruments.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide