The medical laser machine is applied in many fields of technical and scientific research. The machine is used in clinics and myriad of medical premises for application of lasers in medicine to conduct therapy and diagnosis. Medical lasers use the principles of any other types of lasers. The most commonly used lasers by medics include:
- CO2 Lasers
- Diode Lasers
- Dye Lasers
- Excimer Lasers
- Fiber Lasers
- Gas Lasers
- Free Electron Lasers
- Semiconductor Diode Lasers
Medical laser machines are applied in the field of medicine in several ways. The procedures, practices and specialties where these machines are applied by medics include:
- Cutting of tissues- Lasers can be used to cut tissues during a surgery procedure. An accurately focused beam of a carbon dioxide gas laser can easily cut through human tissue during surgery. The laser machine has been significantly advantageous during surgery. First, the light beam of the laser is consistent hence it gives the same amount of energy from the first beam to the last beam. This is advantageous because it makes cuts that do not vary in depth. The second advantage is that the light beam seals off any ruptured blood vessels as it passes through the human tissue.
- Cleaning arteries- Lasers are used to clean plaques from the human arteries. The laser beam is directed to the artery that has been clogged by the plaque and it burns away the plaq
- Healing and reshaping of the eyes- Lasers have contributed to remarkable breakthroughs in the field of ophthalmology. They have been used to remove extraneous blood vessels that might form in the retina of the eyes. The laser machine can also be used to repair a detached retina. This is important during eye surgery as it repairs damaged tissues that could have been affected during the surgery.
- Cosmetic use- Medical lasers are also used for several types of cosmetics surgery. They are used to remove birthmarks, port-wine stains and skin blotches that could appear in some children. These lasers apply the monochromatic quality of laser light to perform these procedures. The application of the monochromatic quality of laser light can also successfully remove tattoos from the human body. This has replaced the previous methods that involved burning out the tattoos using acids or performing a surgery. Another application of a laser-assisted cosmetic process is the removal of unwanted hair. The laser machine omits energy which is then absorbed by the hair follicles. This heat destroys hair and hence it falls off.
- Laser-assisted dentistry- Dentistry is a branch of medicine that has also benefited significantly from the medical laser machine. Many dentists have adopted the use of lasers to eliminate decayed tissues that often form in teeth cavities. This type of laser is known as the Nd-YAG laser. It uses crystal, hence it can form a lasting medium that is long enough to remove the decays in the cavity.
The use of the laser machine in the field of medicine has proved to be advantageous. The health sector has benefited and significantly improved due to adoption of the laser technology.