Lasers In Aviation Flashcards

1
Q

Issues for pilots from lasers

A

Distraction
Temporary visual impairment
Concern for eye injury

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2
Q

LASER stands for

A
Light
Amplification
Stimulated
Emission
Radiation
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3
Q

What determines is an eye injury occurs from laser

A

Reduction in energy: distance, spread
Attenuation of energy: atm/weather, cockpit window
Most event are brief: eye blink response, flight profile, Jitter

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4
Q

Types of laser

A

Solid state lasers: ruby and neodymium YAG
Semiconductor laser: Gallium arsenide
Gas lasers: argon, CO2, Excimer
Liquid lasers

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5
Q

Characteristic of LASER light

A
High intensity
Narrow wavelength
Narrow beam
Collimated
In-phase, brightness
Energy emission can be continuous wave or pulsed
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6
Q

Classes of laser light

A

Class 1: safe
Class 2: need eye protection, causes blink reflex
Class 3: cause eye injury but no skin injury for R but B can cause skin injury
Class 4:eye and skin burns very bad

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7
Q

what are military laser uses

A
Range finding
target designation
training
maintenance
weapons - on ARH and Jets, Damage, enemy optical sensors, antipersonnel damage to eyes and tissues
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8
Q

Laser on the ARH tiger

A
Class 4
for targeting and range finding
Recognition at 7km
Detection up to 80km
ID to 3.8 km
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9
Q

Issues with laser in aviation

A

Distraction
glare
flash

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10
Q

What is the damage laser can do

A
Photochemical - actinic
- UV and shorter visible wavelengths
- Superficial Corneal burns
Thermal- photocoagulation
- low power visible and IR CW LASER
- Deep corneal burns and retinal burns
Thermo-acoustic damage
- high-power lasers
- thermal burns to skin
- tissue disruption (thermo-acoustic damage)
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11
Q

what wave lengths effect what part of the eyes

A
Green UV B C 100-320 damage cornea
green UV A 320-400 damage cornea and lens
Yellow and IRA 400-1400 retina
IRB 1500-1800 all but retina
IRC 3000-1000000 cornea
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12
Q

Limitation of blink response (aversion)

A

only works for visible
Blink and turn head ~0.25 sec
protection for class 1,2,3a

Class 4 just goes through eye lids

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13
Q

characteristic of cornea damage

A
UV - B, UV - C
Damage due to photochemical reaction
Latency period - hours
painful
usually heal within a few days
may have reduced vision

IR
Immediate burns to all layers
permanent scarring of cornea
High energy denatures protein, globe perforation, loss of eye

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14
Q

Characteristic of retinal damage

A
Hemorrhage and burns on retina
IR B
tears and haemorrhages
direct damage to fovea
gravitation of blood
toxic reaction to Hb
damage to nerves
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15
Q

Characteristic of skin damage

A
IR and UV
can tolerate more exposure than eyes 
acute burns
ulceration
damage to underlaying organs
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16
Q

How to test vision when suspected exposure to laser

A

HX: eg pain, grittiness, afterimages, blurred/reduced/loss of vision, photophobia

Ex: hyperaemia, keratitis, corneal burn, haemorrhage, retinal burns, tears, globe disruption
Amsler grid

17
Q

Tx for the following
Keratitis, corneal burns
retinal injury
Globe rupture

A

Keratitis, corneal burns
- topical abc, cover eye, analgesia

Retinal injury: urgent referral

Globe rupture: plastic eye shield, no eye drops or ointments, IV Abx, urgent referral

Ophthalmology referral if clinical concerns, severe pain, any visual field loss

18
Q

when to return to flying

A

if no external ocular damage, pain or threat of ocular cx
best corrected VA 6/6 in better eye and 6/12 in other
Consider specialist roles
- aircrew corrected VA 6/6

19
Q

what are the requirement for personnel that are required to work with Class 3 or 4 lasers

A

Pre-employment
post employment
annual health assessment
Ophthalmologist - retinal photography

20
Q

recommendation for aircrew if flying and laser

A
Look away and shield eye
If vision affected then hand over or engage autopilot
tell everyone
fill in ASOR
avoid rubbing eyes
visual aids in nav bag to test sight
21
Q

What is the main issue with laser

A

distraction and glare