Occupational diseases caused by exposure to laser radiation

Abstract

Sources of laser radiation are firmly entrenched in all spheres of human activity: different branches industry, biology, gene engineering, medicine, agriculture. In cases of gross safety violations, laser radiation can be dangerous for people working with it. Biological action of laser radiation is not completely found out. By the nature of human exposure to laser radiation, it is divided into direct, diffuse, specularly reflected and diffusely reflected. It can cause both primary effects, which include organic changes that occur in irradiated tissues, and secondary effects, which are nonspecific changes that occur in response to radiation. The «critical» organs for laser radiation are the eyes and the skin. Laser lesions are divided into acute and chronic. Acute lesions occur either in cases of gross security breaches or emergencies. The development of chronic lesions is possible in cases of prolonged work with low-intensity laser devices. Other adverse factors, such as noise, vibration, light from flash lamps, ultraviolet radiation, tiredness of visual analyzer, air pollution (ozone, oxide of nitrogen), neuro-emotional tension, affect workers during exploitation of laser radiation’s sources. Diagnostics of laser lesions is based on the occupational history data of sanitary and hygienic characteristics of working conditions as well as on the results of clinical examination and dosimetry data. There is no specific treatment for laser lesions.