Symptoms of Eye Exposure

If laser light has damaged the eye, the first symptoms can be a bright flash of light, followed by watering of the eye, headache, and floaters. Floaters are dead cells that have detached from the retina and choroid.

Cornea damage creates a sensation of grittiness, as if sand were in the eye. In some cases, there may be immediate pain at the site of exposure. Damage to the fovea, located in the center of the macula, is generally the most serious eye injury, causing severe loss of vision. The degree of the impairment will depend upon both the location and extent of the injury and the inflammatory response. In general, when the injury is closer to the center of the fovea, there is a greater chance of severe loss of eyesight.

In the case of exposure to an infrared source, there may be an audible pop but no pain because the retina has no pain receptors. Acoustic damage can be more severe to the retina than thermal injury. Due to their acoustical effects upon the eye, the MPE levels are lower for short-pulsed lasers.

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