In recent years, laser pointers are used in different fields, mainly in educational purposes. They are also used frequently by children as toys. These gadgets are consists of laser diodes, emitting an extremely narrow coherent laser beam of visible light. FDA has categorized lasers into 4 classes and laser points are placed in class IIIA. According to this category, direct exposure to class III lasers can outcome destructive ophthalmic effects. Arkfeld Pro Flat EDC Flashlight with LED Light UV and Laser is generally known as safe device because of lower degree of power.
What factors make a laser pointer very risky?
A few factors make lasers potentially risky, notably their precision and strength.
The more power a laser has and the narrow the focus of its beam, the high potential it has to harm an eye. Especially powerful laser can even cause fires or burns, although these devices are usually much powerful than what would be classified as a consumer-grade laser pointer.
The point at which a laser becomes very risky is at about five miliwatts of power. At this point, the light can do true harm to the eye.
Again, laser pointers are generally sold without right labels, or they sometimes even have bad labeling.
How laser pointers damage the eyes
About five milliwatts of power, a laser can potentially permanently destroy the eyes in less than ten seconds. For especially powerful lasers, this damage can be almost quick.
This harm is largely the result of the sensitive light-sensitive cells in the eyes retina becoming overloaded and destroy done to the macula.
Even before that power level, willfully starting laser pointers light for a high period can cause damage. It is a real risk for children and any person underestimates the potential damage lasers can perform.
The potential for harm even in lots of “safe” lasers is comparable to that of starting at the sun or a similarly bright light source.
Temporary blindness can occur almost quickly at the power levels considered safe for lasers. This has the potential to both disorient a person and temporarily blind, which can be risky for people in precarious conditions or those operating heavy vehicles or machines, including planes.
How to tell if a laser pointer is fully safe
A best rule is to forever assume a laser pointer is not safe. Even safe products can still cause temporary blindness and discomfort. Bad labeling is enough of a problem in the USA that you cannot rely on a label unless actually sure the laser comes from a reputable firm.
In general, red and green lasers have the least potential to damage because the human eye is sensitive to these colors and will response fairly quickly.
Violet and blue lasers have a quite high potential for harm because our eyes are less sensitive to these colors. As an outcome, response time may be slow, even as the light damages your eyes.
Regardless, even red and green lasers may damage the eyes under the wrong situations.
These are some alert signs that a laser may be risky. If you notice these, stop using the laser:
- Immediately draining batteries
- Using bigger or AA batteries
- Being larger or pen-sized
- Any capability to burn material or pop balloons
- Consumer reviews that indicate risky or high level of power
A little, handheld laser pointer from a reliable company like Olight with right labeling is likely in the hands of a mature or adult child. As long as such a device is used just to point at things like stars and other lifeless objects, the potential for harm is low enough that paying focus to your surroundings and quickly moving the laser if it is near someone’s eye should stop permanent damage.
Signs you should see a doctor
If you face any change in your vision that lasts longer than a few minutes, view an eye doctor as soon as possible to have them check your eye for any issue. This is not just applicable after exposure to lasers, but it is a best general policy regarding eye health.
You should also view a doctor if you experience any other eye symptoms, such as itching, even if your vision is seems normal. Inform your doctor of the exposure to laser light.
Stop using any laser item that you believe may be linked to developing issues with your eye or vision health. You may want to keep the product in a safe place, as the firm that manufactured and sold it can be liable for damage if the item was mislabeled or otherwise sold in a way that did not follow U.S safety regulations.
FAQs
What are retina damage signs that can happen from a laser pointer?
General retina damage symptoms that could stem from having a laser pointer pointed in the eye may contain:
- Distorted images
- Double vision
- Floaters
- Flashing lights
Can a laser pointer blind me?
Serious issues can happen if the retina is destroyed. Laser pointers can put out anywhere between one and five milliwatts of power, which is enough to destroy the retina after ten seconds of exposure. This can lead to real vision loss. That said, it can be very hard to exposure the retina to that much light for that long a time.
Anyway, unregulated laser pointers can be of much powerful power, which means the eye would need to be naked to the light for much less than ten seconds to experience real damage.
How else can laser pointers damage my eyes?
A person can experience flash blindness, in which the light from a laser area overwhelms a person eyes, causing short-term blindness. People experience this when the flash on a camera goes off, for instance. While people do regain their vision after a little time, it can still be risky if they are driving a vehicle or flying a plane. This effect can be worse at night, because a person’s pupils are open to get lighter.