Retinal injury by industrial laser burn.
The following case study describes an injury sustained to the fovea of the right eye of a senior en gineer engaged in the repair of a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. Our patient presented with sudden loss of vision in his right eye following accidental exposure to an intense beam of light after the laser's xenon flash-lamp fired unexpectedly. This accident occurred while the patient was aligning the optical coupler mirror parallel to Nd:YAG laser rod ends using an L-CAT alignment aid. We describe the mechanism of retinal injury, outcome and important issues regarding the safe use of lasers.
Moorfields Eye Unit, Rye Close, Bedford Hospital, Kempston Road, Bedford MK42 9DJ, UK.
P
P
Scollo
G
G
Herath
A
A
Lobo
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology*; D004738:Engineering; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D009354:Neodymium; D016272:Occupational Health; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000293:injuries*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D015019:Yttrium
C503779:yttrium-aluminum-garnet; D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium; D000535:Aluminum
Eye injuries; eye symptoms; occupational injury; ophthalmology.