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Laser Pointer Eye Damage

A cutting edge technology when it was invented in the late 1950s, the laser is now a ubiquitous presence, with pointers being used as an illustrative aid for PowerPoint presentations and even as a popular cat toy. Unfortunately, lasers present some risk to eye health.

  1. Types of Lasers

    • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) separates lasers into four classes. Each class indicates the type of light the laser produces and how much danger or risk of radiation the laser presents. Class I products usually contain the laser radiation within the product, such as a laser printer. Class II products emit the laser externally, such as bar code scanner, Class III products emit lasers externally with a slightly greater risk that class two products, and Class IV products include some of the most powerful lasers used for medical procedures and laser light shows.

    Safety

    • According to the Princeton University Environmental Health and Safety website, most laser pointers manufactured in the United States are Class II lasers, and they don't typically exceed a power output of five watts. However, even laser pointers that emit the recommended wattage, if used improperly, can pose potential risk to the eyes.

    More Dangerous Lasers

    • While most lasers sold in the United States are safe, some unregulated or foreign-manufactured laser pointers exist and are often sold with inadequate labeling. According to the FDA, green lasers tend to be stronger than red laser pointers, with some green laser pointers being found to emit up to 15 watts of power.

    Damage is Limited

    • The Princeton University Environmental Health and Safety site found that most laser pointers do not pose a significant long term risk of eye damage. In most cases, users who experienced direct eye exposure to a laser pointer experienced temporary "flashblindness" which subsided over time. However, it is possible to incur permanent damage to the retina.

    Safety Precautions

    • To avoid eye damage caused by a laser, users should never shine a laser directly into their eye or the eye of someone else and should not point a laser at a crowd or unsuspecting audience. Users should also check the label of the laser to ensure that it does not emit more than five watts of power. While more powerful lasers can be used safely, extra caution should be used to ensure the laser is not pointed at the eye. Children should never play with lasers unsupervised.

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