How dangerous are laser pointers?

[thecrecarc]

I caught a close friend idiotically staring at the laser from a laser pointer. I would say somewhere between 1-2 sec a couple times. On further inspection, it was a class IIIa laser. Is that too dangerous?

 

[newb111]

It's dangerous enough to give you cancer just for being friends with him.

 

[duragezic]

So what would make someone want to do that, especially more than one time? Maybe he though he could do a lasik-at-home kind of thing?

 

[Bootprint]

Make sure he doesn't go to Australia with it.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: newb111
It's dangerous enough to give you cancer just for being friends with him.

ROFL for whatever reason I laughed really hard at this comment. I don't think it's that funny, but I was just laughing my ass off anyway...

 

[imported_Imp]

lol... Class IIIa? Those aren't as easy as class 1 laser pointers to find, where'd he get it, astronomy store?

Some asshat once shot a class 1 pointer into my eye when they were new and the shit for kids. Still seeing, eye is no worse/better than eye that didn't get hit.

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: Imp
lol... Class IIIa? Those aren't as easy as class 1 laser pointers to find, where'd he get it, astronomy store?

Some asshat once shot a class 1 pointer into my eye when they were new and the shit for kids. Still seeing, eye is no worse/better than eye that didn't get hit.

He got it at walgreens for like 5 dollars. It was the only one they have IIRC. On the sticker it states it is class IIIa, so...

Apparently he was just "playing" with it and doesn't think it's serious.


But really, is it that dangerous?

 

[videogames101]

IIIa is the highest level that isn't regulated, short exposure won't do any real harm, not that i recommend it.

 

[Rubycon]

Class IIIa laser products are 4.9 milliwatts or less. They are generally considered eye safe because at the upper end of the classification (close to 5mW) the eye blink reflex speed is fast enough to prevent excessive collimated light from reaching the retina. This does not mean it is safe to stare into the beam! One should NEVER stare directly into the beam of ANY laser, period! That is quite foolish. Cheaper lasers often have wide tolerances and many are actually outputting powers in excess of 5mW making them even more dangerous class IIIb products!

 

[mitchel]

Heh you can buy super bright lasers these days.

 

[Throckmorton]

That's bright enough to cause retina burn. Class IIIa is supposed to be dim enough that because you blink, it won't burn. Staring at it negates that... Your friend is an idiot. How could he not have the common sense not to stare at it?

He needs to go to an opthamologist ASAP, so that he can get prescribed vitamin A megadoses to reduce the severity of the scar.

 

[Quiksilver]

Have your friend buy this and let us know how he is in a few minutes..

 

[Skunkwourk]

dress up as a shark, tape his laser to your head, and have a staring contest with him.

 

[kranky]

I would love to know what would make someone think, "I think I'll just aim this laser beam into my eye and see what happens."

What are the possibilities?
1. Nothing happens. I suppose the person would be disappointed.
2. Something happens. That's going to be bad, and I suppose the person would be disappointed.

So where's the upside?

 

[AndrewR]

In general, the red laser pointers won't do much to you, but it's still not an excuse to be shining them in your eyes. I definitely wouldn't suggest the same activity with a green laser pointer, however, since the eye is much more sensitive to green light. Green laser pointers also tend to be more expensive, though.

Directed energy is fairly cool stuff.

 

[Rubycon]

The main hazard with cheap green laser pointers is the omission of the infrared filtering element. This is extremely dangerous as the beam appears no different to the eye yet can contain 100+ mW of IR at 808nm and 1064nm! These kinds of powers will cause instant damage to eyes. Of course if proper safety precautions are followed as they should be with ALL lasers regardless of class, accidents are minimized. Extremely foolish actions such as demonstrated earlier, OTOH, are a recipe for disaster.

 

[queenrobot]

I bought my husband I 55mW green laser. His best friend pointed it at his eye for about 3 seconds. He saw blue for 6 hours.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: kranky
I would love to know what would make someone think, "I think I'll just aim this laser beam into my eye and see what happens."

What are the possibilities?
1. Nothing happens. I suppose the person would be disappointed.
2. Something happens. That's going to be bad, and I suppose the person would be disappointed.

So where's the upside?

I thought I was the only one who looked at life's choices like this.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
The main hazard with cheap green laser pointers is the omission of the infrared filtering element. This is extremely dangerous as the beam appears no different to the eye yet can contain 100+ mW of IR at 808nm and 1064nm! These kinds of powers will cause instant damage to eyes. Of course if proper safety precautions are followed as they should be with ALL lasers regardless of class, accidents are minimized. Extremely foolish actions such as demonstrated earlier, OTOH, are a recipe for disaster.

Plus the cheapo green pointers sometimes output power WELL above the rating on the sticker.

That said, if you're stupid enough to STARE into a laser, you almost deserve to go blind.

 

[Kalvin00]

Originally posted by: queenrobot
I bought my husband I 55mW green laser. His best friend pointed it at his eye for about 3 seconds. He saw blue for 6 hours.

:Q

 

[Kirby64]

Originally posted by: queenrobot
I bought my husband I 55mW green laser. His best friend pointed it at his eye for about 3 seconds. He saw blue for 6 hours.

He wouldn't be my best friend anymore ....