In 2018 alone, the estimated value of the global laser technology market was $12.9 billion. By 2024, market experts expect this to grow even further to reach $16.9 billion.
Laser applications, after all, are now core processes in medicine and engineering. The product manufacturing, scientific, and military also now rely on laser technology.
The big question now is, how exactly do these sectors utilize laser? What exactly is a laser, anyway?
We'll get to the bottom of all these burning questions below, so be sure to stick around!
Shedding Light on Laser Light Technology
The word "laser" stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers are actually lab-made devices that create an artificial, special type of light. They generate a narrow light beam consisting of light waves with similar wavelengths.
This ability to control the wavelength is the reason why laser beams are very narrow. It's also why their light itself is very bright. Moreover, this level of control gives laser users the ability to focus the beam into a specific spot.
That said, laser technology is all about light narrowness, brightness, and accuracy.
Laser Technology in Medicine
Laser applications in medicine range from correcting eye problems to treating some cancers.
Eye Surgeries
One of the most known laser applications in medicine is for vision correction. Photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK, is the first-ever laser eye surgical procedure. It was back in 1995 when the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of this laser treatment.
From there, the Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery followed in 1999. Since its first use, LASIK already had an impressive success rate of 90% for achieving 20/40 vision.
More innovations then came to further improve laser eye treatment technology. These enabled patients who were initially ineligible for surgery to get the treatment.
Today, 99.5% of eyes treated with LASIK have "recovered" visual acuity of over 20/40.
Laser eye surgeries can also correct retinal detachments.
Prostate Surgery
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to the enlargement of the prostate. It affects as many as one in three US men older than 50. It usually causes discomfort during urination, and in many cases, can even block the flow of urine.
Left untreated, this can lead to infections in the bladder, urinary tract, or kidney.
In men who have BPH, prostate laser surgery can relieve moderate to severe symptoms. Moreover, the procedure itself is minimally-invasive, so there are no "cuts" involved. The laser will vaporize or melt away the excess tissue that blocks the urethra.
Kidney Stone Removal
Researchers say that one in 10 people will develop kidney stones at some point in their lives. Men have a higher risk of getting these stones, with their prevalence risk being 19% compared to 9% in women.
Laser therapy, in the form of laser lithotripsy, can remove kidney stones. The light beam breaks the stones into smaller pieces. Once broken, the surgeon can remove them more quickly, or the patient can pass them out of the body via urination.
Laser Therapy for Cancers and Tumors
Laser therapy can destroy, or at the very least, shrink cancer cells. Surgeons can also use the light beam to remove tumors without risking healthy tissue. Laser therapy can help patients with breast, brain, cervical, neck, or skin cancer.
Moreover, laser treatment in cancer patients can also help ease symptoms like bleeding. It can also aid in the reduction of cancer side effects, including pain and inflammation.
Applications in Beauty and Cosmetics
Laser technology has also found many uses in the cosmetic industry. As with medical purposes, laser in cosmetics also allows for minimally-invasive procedures.
Varicose Vein Treatment
Varicose veins affect one in four US adults, although they are more prominent in women. About 22 million women in the US have these bulging, twisting veins, and the same goes for 11 million men.
Laser treatment for varicose veins often takes the form of laser ablative procedures. The heat from the light beam causes the veins to shrink and seal off. Blood then flows to other healthier veins, and the body reabsorbs the affected veins.
Excess Fat Removal
Modern liposuction procedures now also make use of a laser to remove excess fat. In laser liposuction, for instance, the light beam melts away fat below the skin. With the fat liquified, it's easier and faster for the cosmetic surgeon to vacuum out of the body.
Laser Hair Removal
According to one survey, women spend 1,728 hours of their life shaving the hair off of their legs alone. Despite that (or likely because of that), this part of their beauty ritual has become their "most hated".
So, it's no wonder that many have turned to laser hair removal for longer-lasting hair-free legs. Laser hair removal, however, also works on other parts of the body, such as the arms and underarms.
Correction or Reversal of Aging Skin Symptoms
Skin treatments make use of either ablative or non-ablative lasers. Ablative lasers vaporize - or gets rid of - tissue, while non-ablative lasers use heat to shrink the tissue.
In ablative laser resurfacing, for instance, the laser acts as a sort of "peel" to get rid of old or dead skin cells. This then allows new, fresher-looking skin to surface.
Whereas non-ablative lasers can be helpful in reducing wrinkles, scars, pigmentation, and acne. The heat from the laser can also help minimize the appearance of blemishes.
Scientific Research Purposes
Scientists are some of the biggest users of laser technology - they can even use it to trigger lightning! More than that, however, they use lasers to trap atoms for the purpose of studying. They do this for reasons like material characterization.
The scientific sector also utilizes lasers for heat-treating materials. Heat treatment allows them to harden material surfaces without damaging the material itself. This, in turn, gives them a cost-effective way to keep studying the same set of materials.
Functions in Manufacturing
In the manufacturing sector, the use of lasers is part of the manufacturing itself. For instance, industrial lasers allow for fine welding and cutting. These, in turn, help to speed up the manufacture of the products themselves.
A laser engraving machine, on the other hand, allows for more accurate traceability. Laser engravers mark products with part numbers, bar codes, and other identification codes.
Uses in Engineering
In engineering, a key application of laser is that in welding and cutting. For instance, engineers use laser technology to precisely cut materials like sheet metal. However, lasers can also create accurate cuts of glass, silicon, and even diamond.
Engineers also use laser for 3D scanning, which involves reflecting a laser off of a surface. It allows them to capture a building's structural data in an accurate, speedy manner. More than that, 3D laser allows for data retrieval of hard-to-reach and -access areas!
With 3D laser surveying equipment, engineers can create digital road maps and designs. They can create models and site layouts as well as document building histories. They can also determine dimensions of areas as well as create walkthrough animations.
Roles in Military
Applications of laser in military range from its use as a weapon to target designation.
Direct Weapon
Lasers can serve as a directed-energy weapon, considering how accurate they are. The US, for instance, is designing such a weapon. They call it the "Indirect Fires Protection Capability-High Energy Laser" (IFPC-HEL).
Some say that this could be up to 10 times more powerful than the current weapon system of the US Navy.
Target Ranging and Designation
Just as how engineers use lasers to acquire data from a building, the military uses them in a similar manner. They use laser technology to determine the presence of targets in a specific area.
In addition, they use a low-power laser pointer as a form of target designator. This then allows the munition to hone in on the target.
Defense
Laser technology is also a key component of defensive countermeasures in the military. For example, they can fire off lasers toward incoming infrared-homing missiles. This, in turn, confuses the missiles, and as a result, they go off-course.
The Navy also uses a laser system that automatically detects missile launches. Upon detection, the laser technology first determines if it's an actual threat. If so, it'll trigger a separate laser-based system that tracks and destroys the threat.
Laser Applications Help Make People Healthier and Safer
There you have it, your ultimate guide on the many laser applications in various sectors. As you can see, lasers are an incredible piece of technology, with major uses in health and security. So, it's not surprising at all that laser has evolved into a multi-billion dollar sector.
Wondering what else is in store for technology? Then be sure to head over to this site's Tech section! More interesting and up-to-date articles await you there.
