laser pointer question

[SirCampsALot]

someone shot a laser pointer into my eye for around 3 seconds from 15 feet away and i'm kinda worried it may have caused some damage. Is it possible that it did?

 

[sharkeeper]

I seriously doubt other than temporary flash blindness, no permanent damage was done. Laser pointers are regulated by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and are limited to under 5 milliwatts. (Class IIIa laser device) You would have to stare directly into the beam for a considerable amount of time (a minute???) before retinal lesions occur. I couldn't imagine how anyone could do that unless forced to. :Q

The person that did this needs to be reprimanded on laser safety and common sense though. Pointing a pointer into the eye of a bus driver, for example could cause an accident! They're not toys!

Cheers!

 

[SirCampsALot]

thanx buddy, that makes me feel a little better about what happened.

 

[SWScorch]

laser pointers are less than 1/100 of a Watt; they will not causs damage to the eye. They can cause you to get an annoying afterimage for a while, but they will not do any damage. I know this for a fact becuase I work for a Photonics company. Now, if you were look into the beam of the 1 KiloWatt laser we have, well, you woudn't have a head anymore.

 

[Slickone]

<< Now, if you were look into the beam of the 1 KiloWatt laser we have, well, you woudn't have a head anymore. >>


Can you hook me up with a good deal on one of those?

 

[Magicthyse]

Pointing a pointer into the eye of a bus driver, for example could cause an accident! They're not toys!

Apparently some idiot uprated the laser (is that really poss?) and did exactly that.
Some people don't deserve to live...

 

[RossGr]

<< laser pointers are less than 1/100 of a Watt; they will not causs damage to the eye. They can cause you to get an annoying afterimage for a while, but they will not do any damage. I know this for a fact becuase I work for a Photonics company. >>



Since you claim to work around LASERs I am shocked that you would say something that boarders on irresponsible. As the first poster stated it is all a matter of time, it is NEVER a good idea to point a LASER at someones eyes the power of the LASER is irrevelent, it is called safe habits and social responsibility. It has to be made absolutly clear to every child who gets their hands on one of these things that it is totally inaproppriate to flash them at peoples heads. To send any other message is to encourage the ignorant sobs.

 

[SWScorch]

eek! I of course did not mean to sound like I was promoting this behavior... Laser pointers wont cause injury, but its still not a smart thing to do. You are correct in that it is dangerous; the example of the bus driver is a perfect example of why it is not safe to do such things. I was simply trying to say that he shouldn't be worried about permanent eye injury... Sorry if I came off as indifferent or promoting the behavior... :/

 

[MWink]

So, how about CD-ROM lasers??? (Seriously. I want to know)

 

[Mday]

laser pointers were designed to output low energy radiation.

however, leaving it on someone's eye for a prolonged period of time can cause some permanent damage. however, you didn;t =)

but don't do that again.

the lasers in the CD-ROM can also do damage if you leave it on an eye for a prolonged period of time. i am not aware of the exact specifications on CD-ROM lasers so i can't comment.

 

[Danman]

I like your sig Mday.......... Join the club....

 

[Psycho18]

Well it depends on how big that laser pen was...

 

[Jerboy]

<< laser pointers are less than 1/100 of a Watt; they will not causs damage to the eye. They can cause you to get an annoying afterimage for a while, but they will not do any damage. I know this for a fact becuase I work for a Photonics company. Now, if you were look into the beam of the 1 KiloWatt laser we have, well, you woudn't have a head anymore. >>



total wattage is less critical. Energy density in watts/cm^2 is what you need to be concerned about.

On the sidenote there is no such thing as laser pointer stronger than 5mW or 1/200th of a watt, the maximum allowed by federal law for laser pointers.

 

[Jerboy]

<< eek! I of course did not mean to sound like I was promoting this behavior... Laser pointers wont cause injury, >>



Okay, will you be the client one of my unofficial clinical study of laser pointer exposure on human eyes? It'll make a great extra credit research paper. I'll set a 5.00mW 535nm red laser shining right at you're right eye for one minute. You then report back in five days to see for acute damage eval. Then you come see me 3 month later if there is any permanent damage. Ofcourse I am to be held free from ANY liabilities to you.

I bet you won't say sure thing

 

[SWScorch]

well, for one minute it would probably cause some injury, but for a brief amount of time it would be fine... Damn, I need to be less vague in my posts I've had fairly strong lasers pointed in my eyes for more than a few seconds before, (I dont know the exact strength- but it was certainly stronger than any laser pointer) and AFAIK I didn't suffer any injury. (hmm, maybe that could explain my 20/400 eyesight! )

Anyway, you are of course correct, and I shall attempt to be more specific in my posts from now on. thank you

 

[sharkeeper]

<< Okay, will you be the client one of my unofficial clinical study of laser pointer exposure on human eyes? It'll make a great extra credit research paper. I'll set a 5.00mW 535nm red laser shining right at you're right eye for one minute. You then report back in five days to see for acute damage eval. Then you come see me 3 month later if there is any permanent damage. Ofcourse I am to be held free from ANY liabilities to you. >>



Like I mentioned previously, no person will be able to "dead stare" into the beam that long unless forced to. Also, damage can occur much sooner if the beam is focused smaller due to higher energy density. Common visible laser modules have multi elemental collimators which allow tight collimation to less than 10 micron area at 15 cm! With a 5mW energy, the energy density is quite high and could easily cause lesions on the retina in a matter of a few seconds. Some wavelengths (particularly longer) are more susceptible to do damage as well.

The diodes in CD players are not very strong, but recorders are most definitely class IIIb devices. NEVER stare into the beam of either. The laser will look very dim because the eye has very poor sensitivity to 750 nm. A dangerous 50 mw 750 nm VLM will appear dimmer than a 1 mw 670 pointer, but can cause eye damage very easily as it's very possible to foolishly stare into this beam!

It is possible to increase the output of simple diode laser pointers to illegal levels in excess of 4.9 mW. The diodes won't last long; in fact may be damaged in a few seconds by the increase in power. Only by using a laser power meter can one tell how much the output is increasing. If it looks a lot brighter, chances are the output has more than doubled and the diode certainly won't live a long life.

Finally, the new green laser pointers can be extremely hazardous if tampered with. Currently, only green emitting LD's exist in the lab so to get green laser radiation one must use what is called a doubler and irradiate that with an IR diode of considerable power since the doubler's aren't that efficient. The danger comes from the fact that some green pointers allow the top to be taken off fairly easily allowing the aperture of the IR diode to be exposed! This puts the owner/user at risk as the output could be over 100 mW at 1060 nm! This would appear to be very dim to the eye yet looking in to this light even loosely collimated is asking for trouble.

Cheers!