Irradiation systems, such as laser systems, are used as therapeutic or diagnostic devices in a variety of medical procedures. Some of the medical procedures include treatment of skin disorders, skin rejuvenation and eye surgery. The energy of the laser is controlled and adjusted to maintain the reproducibility and consistency during such medical procedures. If the energy of the laser beam is higher than necessary, it can cause harmful effects to the patient.
The energy of the laser beam is typically controlled by calibrating the irradiation system prior to each use. A typical calibration method includes using a handpiece equipped with a distance gauge. The handpiece is placed into a calport which allows the internal energy meter to measure the laser output parameters. The handpiece may need to be kept in the calport for an extended period of time until the calibration is completed.
The calibration method presents several disadvantages. The procedure is tedious and time consuming. Since the procedure must be repeated frequently, it is cumbersome for the end user of the irradiation system. In addition, a sudden drop in the energy of the laser is not detected until the system is recalibrated. Such a sudden drop can lead to unsatisfactory results of the medical procedure. Failure to calibrate prior to each use may result in occasional delivery of excessive laser energy that can cause harmful and undesired treatment effects to the patient of the medical procedure.