Laser Retinal Injury

Abstract

Laser retinal injury poses a threat to military personnel. Both irreversible damage with lifelong visual disability and reversible damage with immediate visual disturbances can occur. Of the 23 cases (mean age, 26.6 yr) reported in the medical literature, all show that acute visual effects and permanence of visual disability correlate directly with proximity of the lesion to the fovea and with increasing grade of injury (I = retinal edema, II = retinal necrosis/coagulation, III = retinal hemorrhage, and IV = vitreous hemorrhage, retinal hole formation, or both). Military ophthalmologists must investigate modalities to improve therapy for laser injuries and support efforts to develop better protective eyewear.