Bruce Rivers and Courtney Crawford
Summary: The use of non-lethal lasers has become a vital tool for the war fighter and law enforcement community. Although deemed safe when used properly, these lasers can prove to be dangerous when used improperly. We present a 33-year-old Army soldier with decreased vision in the left eye secondary to a presumed Dazzler Laser injury. Background: Non-lethal lasers have become a vital tool to the war fighter and law enforcement community. Although deemed safe when used properly, theses lasers can prove to be dangerous when used improperly. Purpose: To present evidence for chorioretinal injury caused by the Laser Dazzler while in war- theater during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Methods: The clinical presentation of the patient was documented by color fundus photographs, optical coherence tomography, Humphrey visual field 30-2, fundus autofluorescence images, and fluorescein angiograms. Results: Exam findings three months following injury: BCVA: 20/15 OD; 20/400 OS. The Intraocular pressure was 15 mmHg OD. The anterior segment exam was unremarkable. The posterior segment exam revealed several chorioretinal scars involving the macula with no subretinal hemorrhage or fluid. On fluorescein angiogram, hypofluorescent lesions correspond to the chorioretinal scars. Humphrey visual field 24-2 reveals a para-central scotoma also consistent with chorioretional lesions. Conclusion: The Laser Dazzler is a 532 nm, 500 mW output lasers that is potentially hazardous if used inappropriately. Military members and Law enforcement personnel need to be aware of the risks associated with the improper use of this and other laser products.