Laser protection eyewear for animals

In human medicine, laser beams have been used for quite some time to treat certain illnesses or to carry out cosmetic treatments. The benefits of laser therapy are also transferable to veterinary medicine, where animals – just like people – must be protected against any unwanted side effects of the radiation. The eyes are particularly sensitive and must therefore be protected by laser protection eyewear for animals, such as the high-quality laser protection Doggles® by uvex subsidiary laservision, for example.

The design of laser protection eyewear for animals is very similar to that of safety eyewear for humans. The eyes are shielded by two lenses that are specially adapted to the lasers used. The lenses are held in place by a plastic frame. For laser protection eyewear used in veterinary medicine however, there are some special points to note:

• Ergonomics: While glasses for humans sit behind the ears thanks to the side arms, this is not possible for animals. Laser protection goggles for animal patients are therefore held in place on the back of the head and under the chin with the help of elasticated headbands.
• Fit: It is extremely important that laser protection eyewear fits properly while the laser treatment is being carried out. At the same time, they should not press or cut into the animal’s skin. To prevent this, soft padding on the inside of the frame provides the necessary comfort.
• Animal well-being: Laser therapy is intended to help animals and should cause them as little stress as possible. Laser protection eyewear for animals is therefore carefully tailored to the precise requirements of veterinary medicine to ensure the animal’s well-being during the treatment.

How do you put laser protection Doggles® on an animal easily and safely?

It is common knowledge that laser beams are potentially harmful for the eyes. But why is this the case? And how are laser beams used in medicine?

When is laser therapy useful?

It is used in different forms, depending on the kind of treatment to be carried out using laser beams. Depending on the desired effect on the tissue, veterinarians may use laser beams with different wavelengths, higher or lower intensity, or different pulse durations and frequencies.

Common types of laser therapy for animals:

• Treatment of (chronic) pain
• Treatment of skin disorders, e.g. scars, eczema
• Healing of (chronic) wounds
• Soft tissue ablation

If eyes are exposed to laser beams without sufficient protection, this can lead to lasting damage and loss of vision. Strong concentration of the laser beams results in very high irradiance levels, which can damage the retina of the eye in particular. This is where the sensory cells that convert incident light impulses into electrical impulses are located. These are transmitted to the brain, where an image is created.

At a minimum, laser beams can cause a strong glare. In the worst-case scenario, the sensory cells in the retina will be irreversibly damaged, to the extent that they are no longer able to convert light impulses, causing a reduction in or even total loss of vision.

If laser beams whose power exceeds a certain limit value, usually one milliwatt (mW), are used during a veterinary treatment, safety spectacles should be used. Thanks to their filter with a high optical density (absorption), they prevent the potentially damaging laser beams getting into the eyes and thus into the retina. Instead, a filter made of glass or plastic absorbs the laser beams, so that only a harmless amount of radiation gets into the eyes of the animal patient.

uvex laservision has closely studied the potential eye damage from laser beams. Patients, whether human or animal, must be protected against these dangers.

That’s why uvex laservision has created laser protection Doggles®, which are suitable for everyday use for laser therapy in veterinary practice. With the P5K01 laser protection filter, the goggles reliably protect against NIR laser beams (Near InfraRed) with an emissions wavelength of between 800 and 1,000 nanometres (nm). The elasticated, adjustable headbands as well as a chin band and soft padding keep the patient comfortable during treatment. Laser protection Doggles® are available in a set of three sizes, enabling them to offer protection for a number of small animals such as dogs, cats or kangaroos – regardless of their size.

Laser therapies are also used on large animals. The necessary eye protection in these cases is provided by the laser protection Equine Mask by laservision. This laser protection hood is particularly suitable for large animals such as horses and ponies and is available in three sizes (S, L and XL).

Laser therapy is an innovative, advanced method of treating various conditions. During the treatment, special laser safety goggles for animals help protect the patient’s eyes, allowing the therapeutic potential of laser beams to be fully harnessed without any health risks.