Laser Irradiation Effects: A Functional Assessment
Abstract
Specification of damage criteria and establishment of morphological data resulting from laser exposure has been an important mission for biomedical researchers and strategic planners. Equally important, however, from a military standpoint is the impact that this alteration, whether temporary or permanent, has on the ability of a soldier to complete a visually guided mission. Furthermore, while permanent visual loss associated with distinct morphological damage is of course serious it must also be recognized that temporary shifts in visual acuity or contrast sensitivity can occur at energy densities below those associated with distinct tissue damage. These temporary visual performance shifts could themselves be life threatening and may be the result of reversible or minute physical changes that are undetectable using current damage criteria. Our result suggests that significant shifts in visual sensitivity does occur at or below the ED50 level and that these shifts can be long lasting. Using a behavioral technique to measure on-going visual acuity, we have exposed awake, task-oriented rhesus monkeys to a variety of laser exposures which vary in energy density and temporal and spatial distribution on the retina. Our preliminary results in this project are consistent with the results of our previous studies and have extended the various exposure and performance criteria already established.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 30, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA285100
Entities
People
- David O. Robbins
Organizations
- Ohio Wesleyan University