<title>Effect of varying laser parameters on in-vitro ablation of porcine sclera with Ho:YAG laser</title>

Abstract

The effect of various laser parameters on the ablation rate and the resulting thermal damage on porcine scleral tissue by the Ho:YAG laser was tested. We compared the ablation rate and the thermal damage with varying fluences, fiber core diameters and pulse durations. A Ho:YAG laser operating at a wavelength of 2.1 micrometers at a repetition rate of 2 Hz was used. The ablation rate for the tissue was calculated as the ratio of the number of pulses needed to perforate the sample to the sample thickness (micrometers /pulse +/- standard deviation). The lateral thermal damage depths were quantified by ocular micrometry. Our results suggest that with the Ho:YAG (2.1 micrometers ) laser the ablation rate increases linearly with radiant exposure, but the change in radiant exposure does not significantly affect thermal damage. Different pulse durations generate small changes in ablation rate, but no change in thermal damage. An increase in the irradiated area enhances the ablation rate and thermal damage.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.