CO₂ Laser in Vitreoretinal Surgery: 1. Quantitative Investigation of the Effects of CO₂ Laser Radiation on Ocular Tissue

Scleral, lens, and vitreoretinal tissue was incised using CO₂ laser radiation in a controlled and predictable fashion without producing untoward effects on neighboring ocular tissue. The penetration depth of infrared radiation into normal human vitreous was measured and was found to be exceedingly small. A quantitative correlation was observed between the CO₂ laser power and the depth of penetration in scleral-chorioretinal wall incisions and in lens tissue from human eyebank eyes. The results of this investigation suggest that the CO₂ laser may be useful in intravitreal surgery, full-thickness scleral-chorioretinal wall resections, transvitreal chorioretinal biopsy, and even dissolution of cataracts.