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160 Veterinary Laser Therapy in Small Animal Practice

indirect radiation, or from an accidental momentarily
direct exposure; you are still not supposed to point the
laser inside anyone’s eyeball.
As for the patients, it is necessary to avoid their eye
contact with the beam. So for safety, use the doggles
(Fig. 10.2), a towel, or your hands every time you work
around the head (Fig. 10.3) and forelimbs, but doggles
are not that important if you are treating the lumbar
area and you are blocking the view of the beam with
your hand. For some head treatments, the straps of the
doggles will be in your way to the treatment area. In
Figure 10.1 Both the patient and dog companion are using
doggles. such cases, cover the eyes with your assistant’s or the
owner’s hands (Fig. 10.4), and avoid pointing the beam
into the eye. Consider this too when dealing with the
a potential risk, which is why wavelength-specific eye (really) very few patients who are reluctant to wear
protection must be used: everybody in the room has to doggles – seriously, you will be surprised at how well
wear the specific protective glasses (Fig. 10.1). These they accept them.
should be provided by the laser manufacturer and A side note on doggles: one of the theories about why
follow international regulations; they should indicate most patients seem to be quite relaxed with the doggles
the wavelengths they block and the optical density for on is that because our animals can see at night (at least
each of them. These glasses offer limited protection, better than we can), this means they can see a little of
though, and they are intended to protect you from the near-infrared spectrum. Well, laser safety goggles

Figure 10.2 Patient wearing doggles for a sinus treatment.

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