The human body is vulnerable to the emission of certain lasers and, under certain circumstances, exposure can cause damage to the eyes and skin. Misused laser devices are potentially dangerous. The effects can range from mild skin burns to irreversible damage to the skin and eyes. The biological damage caused by lasers occurs through thermal, acoustic and photochemical processes.
Moderate and high power lasers are potentially dangerous because they can burn the retina or even the skin. To control the risk of injury, several specifications, for example, section 1040 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 21 in the U.S. At the international level, the United States and IEC 60825 define laser classes based on their power and wavelength. These standards impose required safety measures on manufacturers, such as labeling lasers with specific warnings and wearing laser safety glasses when using them.
Consensus standards, such as Z136 from the American National Institute for Standardization (ANSI), provide users with control measures to detect laser hazards, as well as several tables useful for calculating maximum allowable exposure limits (MPE) and accessible exposure limits (AEL). When not used properly, laser toys and laser pointers can damage a person's eyes. The FDA offers tips to keep you and those around you safe. The main concerns about using the laser are the possibility of eye and skin injuries.
The eye is the organ most sensitive to light. The effects of laser radiation will depend on the wavelength of the laser and the part of the eye it affects. Skin injuries caused by laser radiation are considered less serious than eye injuries, since functional loss of the eye is more debilitating than skin damage. However, the chance of skin exposure is greater than that of eye exposure due to the larger surface area of the skin. Risk levels may differ for each member of the laser team and for each person using the laser equipment. Of all the dangers, complacency is the most dangerous and it is imperative to develop a risk management perspective in relation to laser safety.
To assess potential hazards and the risk of exposure to hazardous levels of laser emission, it is necessary for both users and operators to have a thorough understanding of laser science. Exposure to UV rays is also associated with an increased risk of developing skin cancer and premature skin aging (wrinkles, etc.). In several jurisdictions, standardization bodies, legislation and government regulations define laser classes according to the risks associated with them and define the necessary safety measures for people who may be exposed to these lasers. Laser radiation safety is the safe design, use and implementation of lasers to minimize the risk of laser accidents, especially those related to eye injuries.
While everyone in the laser treatment room is at risk of exposure to their eyes when working with a class 3b or 4 healthcare laser system and damaging various structures of the eye depending on the wavelength of the laser if they are not protected, there are several risks for the doctor, assistant, nurse practitioner, patient, patient support person, technician, office manager, laser safety officer, cleaning nurse, sales representative, biomedical engineer and manager. This approach can reduce the risk of injury to the patient and staff, reduce the chance of them being legally involved, and generally lower program costs. For toys to be considered to be of minimal risk, the FDA recommends that radiation and light levels do not exceed the limits of class 1, the lowest level of regulated products, as defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
