LOW-POWER LASERS IN PHYSICAL THERAPY - MEASUREMENT OF OPTICAL OUTPUT POWER OF DEVICES

This report outlines the most essential characteristics of low power l asers commonly used in physical medicine. The optical output power of two Helium-Neon (HeNe) lasers (CW scanner) and two collimated Infrared (IR) laser diodes was measured with a Coherent(R) Model 212 meter des igned to measure output power and its power density. The energy of two collimated IR lasers was measured with a Laser Precision Energy Meter equipped with an RJP-735 probe. The difficulties arising from the lar ge divergency of the laser beam in diode lasers and the importance of the scattering and absorption of laser beams are discussed. The criter ia for the evaluation of the lasers as well as the essential parameter s for an adequate characterization of laser therapy are given.