Reducing retinal radiation exposure during laser surgery

An ophthalmic laser surgical system for treating a floater in an eye, comprising:

• a floater detection system configured to determine a location of the floater in the eye;
• a laser device configured to direct a laser beam along a laser beam path towards the floater;
• and
• a computer configured to:
• calculate a radiant exposure at a component of the eye according to a floater-to-component distance between a z-location of the floater and the component;
• calculate a safety factor from the radiant exposure, the safety factor describing a mathematical relationship between the radiant exposure and a maximum exposure;
• determine if directing the laser beam along the laser beam path towards the floater is allowable according to a predetermined boundary of the safety factor;
• instruct the laser device to direct the laser beam along the laser beam path towards the floater if that is allowable;
• and
• if directing the laser beam along the laser beam path towards the floater is not allowable, prevent the laser device from directing the laser beam towards the floater.