Abstract
The threshold values for retinal damage in rabbit eyes resulting from exposure to 70-fs 625-nm single pulses were measured. These pulses were generated by a colliding pulse mode-locked ring dye laser oscillator followed by a four-stage dye amplifier. The exposure parameters of pulse energy Incident on the eye, pulse duration, and retina) spot size were controlled. The threshold energy EDso of ~ 1 ^tj was determined by probit analysis and showed a very precise determination based on fluorescein angiographic visibility of the retinal lesions for 1-h postexposure. Even pulsed energies 100 times higher did not produce ophthalmoscopi-cally visible lesions w'ltrfin the same Time span. Light and electron microscopic studies showed very tiny (10-30 /um in diameter) lesions with alternations located mainly in the outer retina and surprising little disturbance of the retinal pigment epithelium, which is assumed to be the main light absorber in the visible spectrum. This first study of laser (issue interaction performed with pulses In the femtosecond regime presents the opportunity to examine the effects of high intensities white reducind the contribution from energy-related thermal or acoustic effects. (Invited paper, 25 min)
© 1986 Optical Society of America
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