While surface imperfections are commonly called "cosmetic defects", they are not purely cosmetic: optics designed for laser applications tend to be more sensitive to surface quality since these imperfections can be starting points for the development of laser-induced damage. Another reason for the importance of defects is that, in some cases, imperfections in optical elements will be directly imaged as defects in the image plane. In addition, optical systems for which maximum radiation intensity is necessary tend to be sensitive to loss of power as a result of surface scattering caused by such imperfections. In general, systems operating in the ultraviolet range require a more demanding standard than systems in visible or infrared light, since the shorter wavelength of the ultraviolet radiation is more affected by scattering.