Abstract
We have used laser-based highspeed photography to investigate excimer laser ablation of the cornea. Photographs of the ablation plume were obtained 500 ns to 150 μs after incidence of a 193- or 248-nm excimer laser pulse on the surface of the cornea. Ejection of material from the cornea begins on a time scale of nanoseconds and continues for 5 to 15 μs following the excimer pulse. At 193 nm the ablation plume resembles a burst of smoke, and individual particles are too small to be optically resolved with our apparatus. At 248 nm the plume resembles a spray of larger, discrete droplets. Material is ejected from the cornea at supersonic velocity but decelerates rapidly; the velocity for the first 500 ns following the excimer pulse averages 400 m/s at 193 nm. Plume size and velocity increase with increasing fluence.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1255-1259 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Archives of Ophthalmology |
Volume | 105 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1987 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology