Laser eye surgery is a very broad term and can be used to describe specific laser surgery performed for the correction of vision such as short-sightedness or any other laser procedures used to treat ophthalmic conditions such as retinal detachment or glaucoma.

Corrective laser eye surgery is not routinely provided on the National Health Service. It is usually performed by the independent sector for which we do not collect data.

The following table provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre shows the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a main or secondary operative procedure on the eye where a laser was used in England between 2008 and 2013.

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre

¹Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year.

Public Health England (PHE) and its predecessor organisations first issued advice on these matters to the then Department for Trade and Industry in October 1997 suggesting that laser products on general sale to the public should be limited to Class 1 or Class 2. This advice is still relevant. Trading Standards Officers use existing powers under the General Product Safety Regulations to take enforcement action against traders in the United Kingdom supplying high-power laser products, which are usually Class 3B or Class 4.

Following the publication of the paper in the journal Eye, PHE organised a workshop on 20 June 2014. This brought together two of the authors of the paper and stakeholders from across Government, the police and experts on the health implications of exposure to laser beams. PHE agrees with the journal article that it is important parents are aware of the risks of laser products to their children. It was felt that the most appropriate course of action was a campaign to increase awareness of the risks associated with the use of these lasers, including the likelihood that the power in the laser beam could be significantly higher than stated. PHE is now preparing additional material to inform the public.

The ability to impair the vision of a pilot or a vehicle driver depends on the colour of the laser beam, the ambient light conditions and the task being undertaken. Although Class 1 or Class 2 lasers are unlikely to impair the vision of a pilot, under specific conditions, they can cause distraction, glare and afterimages to drivers targeted at close range. Therefore, any inappropriate use of a laser, irrespective of the laser classification, should be taken seriously.