Accidental macular injury with class IVb laser outside the medical settings

AbstractIn the medical settings, safety precautions are used to mitigate inadvertent ocular damage due to laser beams. High power lasers are illegal in many countries; however, they are sometimes used on social occasions. Use by an untrained member of the public can result in severe accidental ocular damage. We report a case of macular damage and central visual loss due to the illegal use of a class IVb 2000mW power laser in a 20-year-old male. To our knowledge, this is the first case of macular injury due to this particular type of laser. The case history and management over a 6-month period is described. Pubic education initiatives are required to increase the awareness of the dangerous nature of laser beam exposure outside a medical setting