title: Thermal lensing in ocular media exposed to continuous-wave near-infrared radiation: the 1150-1350-nm region.
abstract: Ocular damage threshold data remain sparse in the continuous wave (CW), near-infrared (NIR) radiation region save for the 1300-nm area that has been investigated in the past several decades. The 1300-nm ocular damage data have yielded unusual characteristics where CW retinal damage was observed in rabbit models, but never in nonhuman primate models. This paper reviews the existing 1300-nm ocular damage threshold data in terms of the fundamental criteria of an action spectrum to assist in explaining laser-tissue effects from near-infrared radiation in the eye. Reviewing the action spectrum criteria and existing NIR retinal lesion data lend evidence toward the significant presence of thermal lensing in ocular media affecting damage, a relatively unexplored mechanism of laser-tissue interaction.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1 University Station, C0800, Austin, Texas 78712, USA. rebecca.vincelette@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Vincelette
authors.forename: Ashley J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rockwell
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007909:Lenses; D008954:Models, Biological; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology*