Beam collapse as an explanation for anomalous ocular damage

The basic mathematical phenomena relevant to ocular damage caused by ultrashort laser pulses are discussed with the use of mathematical results and numerical modeling. The primary effects of nonlinear self-focusing and beam collapse are examined in the ocular safety context. Finite-time material response and group-velocity dispersion are discussed as possible mitigating factors. An argument is presented that indicates that the initial stages of beam collapse are essentially two-dimensional. Experiments are suggested that might help distinguish the most important contributing factors in the damage regime. The numerical methodology is detailed in an appendix.