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I’d bet I’m not the only one who sometimes forgets to put filters in his/her loupes or scope and it has got me thinking about the potential danger. Over the last year I have seen some changes in my vision and was curious if this is just an age thing or if it was related to forgetting the filters. I decided to run a test. Here’s what I did-
All test w/ no filter applied between the fiber,scope, loupes or meter. Note- for the wavelengths beside ndyag ignore the 4w setting on the pictures of the Periolase (these are the settings used for the Periolase, the bottom number is the meter measurement)
Periolase Power Meter used to measure.
1st Periolase direct to meter.
Reading-3.8 watts
Periolase thru scope-
Reading- 0 watts
Next Diode
Settings w/ fiber 1.2 w continuous
Diode w/o scope
Reading .6
Diode fiber w/ scope
Reading- 0
Diode wand settings
Diode wand fire
Diode wand reading .6
Erbium
Erbium reading w/o scope 5.4 (some degredation in my 3 y/o fiber)
Erbium scope reading 0
Same tests done with loupes, same results.
Potential test problems- beam splitter on scope may have diverted some of the energy and this doesn’t address the issue of energy reflected around optics or glasses.
WARNING- DON”T FIRE YOUR ERBIUMS AT YOUR LOUPES OR SCOPE W/O LENS COVERS
The good news- IMO there is little chance of inadvertant eye damage from forgetting filters.
The bad news- My eye sight changes must be age
Please don’t take this post as a reason to stop wearing eye protection, it was only done to satisfy my curiosity.
Ron,
Great test!
Ummmmm………….
I started forgetting to put the right laser glasses on about 14 years ago.
I’d put the Nd:YAG glasses on, then take them off to put on the Argon surgical glasses, then the Holmium, then ………
When I got confused and used the Argon glasses with the Nd:YAG laser, and I didn’t go blind I stopped using glasses. Really haven’t for over a decade and that inclde using a microscope all that time.
No changes in my vision. I’m 48 and no presbyopia. I still need glasses for distance as I have fo 25 years.
Having said that, we train our doctors to wear safety glasses. “Do as we say, NOT as we do.” Also, when the new filter for the Global scope comes out, I’m gonna buy it as it sets the right example and won’t interfere with the vision.
But I think it was always a question whether the scope was increasing the focusing of the diverging Nd:YAG or other beams when I was using it. We have hand-held power meters that we can test with, but I doubt it would show much difference–other than they are more sensitive to powers below 1 watt.
Del feels the scattered near-nfrared light he gets from biostimulating his sinuses has been the reason he no longer wears corrective lens?
Allen, I’m thinking about getting refractive surgery. Any focusing problems up close to near as in he practice of dentistry?
Nice post Ron.
Bob
(Edited by Robert Gregg DDS at 10:19 am on Aug. 22, 2005)