Does a diode's power output degrade over time?

I purchased a Optotronics 150mw pointer 2nd hand from another member here last year. It has been great but when I tested it using a laser meter in a local lab nearby I noticed it was putting out around 50-80mW.

This could be due to using some batteries that were not brand new, but do most diodes in laser pointers degrade in output over time?

Just wondering..

Yes, all lasers degrade over time. Depending on the age, your pointer could have easily degraded. Laser pointers are extremely susceptible to heat-induced degradation since there is usually little or no heatsinking or temperature control of any kind.

Agree with EF, and also with the "awesomeness" in his binary code on his sig!