Aircrew Exposure to Handheld Laser Pointers: the Potential for Retinal Damage
Houston S. Aircrew exposure to handheld laser pointers: the potential for retinal damage. Aviat Space Environ Med 2011; 82:921–2.
Aviation authorities around the world continue to report substantial growth in the incidence of laser devices being aimed at aircraft in flight. Despite government restrictions, affordable handheld laser devices, with a power of up to several thousand mW, are now easily obtainable via the Internet. Lasers of this power output and wavelength have a nominal ocular hazard distance of around 1000 ft (304.8 m). Aviation medical specialists should be aware these lasers have the potential to cause retinal damage when aircrew operating at low altitudes are exposed.
Aviation authorities around the world continue to report substantial growth in the incidence of laser devices being aimed at aircraft in flight. Despite government restrictions, affordable handheld laser devices, with a power of up to several thousand mW, are now easily obtainable via the Internet. Lasers of this power output and wavelength have a nominal ocular hazard distance of around 1000 ft (304.8 m). Aviation medical specialists should be aware these lasers have the potential to cause retinal damage when aircrew operating at low altitudes are exposed.
Keywords: aircrew; laser; retina
Document Type: Commentary
Publication date: 01 September 2011
- The peer-reviewed monthly journal, Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine (ASEM) provides contact with physicians, life scientists, bioengineers, and medical specialists working in both basic medical research and in its clinical applications. It is the most used and cited journal in its field. ASEM is distributed to more than 80 nations.
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