Laser exposure analysis for a near-infrared ocular interferometer

Ocular interferometry has potential value in a variety of ocular measurement applications, including measuring ocular thicknesses, topography of ocular surfaces or the wavefront of the eye. Of particular interest is using interferometry for characterizing corneal shape and irregular corneal features, making this technology attractive due to its inherent accuracy and spatial resolution. A particular challenge of designing an ocular interferometer is determining safe laser exposure levels to the eye, including both the retina and anterior segment. Described here are the laser exposure standards relevant in the interferometer design and the corresponding calculations and results. The results of this work can be used to aid in the design of similar laser-based systems for ocular evaluation.