Chemical Laser Interactions With Human Corneal Tissue

Repetitively pulsed (rp) hydrogen fluoride (HF) chemical laser interactions with human corneal tissue have been studied to understand tissue ablation phenomenology, effects, and mechanisms under well characterized laser irradiation conditions. RP HF chemical laser experiments have been performed at two wavelengths (? = 2.78 pm and 2.91 μm) over a fluence range of 0.6 to 10 J/cm2 to determine ablation efficiencies and effective enthalpies of ablation (Q*) as a function of wavelength and fluence. The experimental results are analyzed to consider the physical and chemical processes associated with thermochemical ablation of human corneal tissue by pulsed mid-infrared lasers.