Another case of misuse

One reader of the article commented:

What I really fear is that kids or anybody can get these devices via internet and use in maliciously against anybody in the public. They could be out in public and just indiscriminately point it at ANYBODY from what,? a range of hundreds of feet to miles away and blind somebody. You could just be out in public and suddenly go blind and not know what hit you. These are dangerous and in the wrong hands could cause blindness. These should not be sold at all except in special industrial circumstances. It worries me that somebody COULD use this to cause harm to others. Imagine somebody using this as a weapon! There are a lot of sick people in the world that might think this fun or maybe that neighbor decides that your dog did his business once too many times on his lawn and decides to point his laser at you as you get into your car in the morning from his front window, SCARY!!!!!

Click to expand...

One thing we can do is rebut fear mongering statements like this with some facts about lasers. The hysteria caused by simple ignorance is one of the biggest problems.

I think knowledgeable forum members should respond whenever possible online to help defuse the hysteria. We shouldn't let this ignorance go unchallenged. I think our responses should be considerate and informative and we must be careful not to call the people who are over-reacting "stupid" or denigrate them in any way. All they know is what they see in science fiction movies and the word "laser" stirs up all kinds of false associations.

Since most of us live in democratic countries, education must be the first order of business if we are to get sensible laws concerning high-powered lasers. We need to take an active role in laser education, and since we are all online, incidents/stories like this are an opportunity to get helpful information out. We need to post some comments and responses to this story.

Let's go!

Why dont you go LOL.

If you had not noticed we push the laser safety issue where ever we can. The whole forum is set up for laser education. Hell my sig, and others too, point to information to educate people.

Educate yes, but I do think we should avoid sensationalism and melodrama. Lasers are dangerous, and hysteria is NOT necessary to help spread the word.

Many times this hysteria involves making claims and statements about the danger that aren't even close to factual. I heard not long ago about how some folks felt that these new 445nm portables will be used by malicious teens sitting on the sides of highways blowing people's tires out... and they were using this idea as a "demonstration" of just how dangerous these things are. Total and complete rubbish, and it drives me nuts.

Analogue said:

One reader of the article commented:



One thing we can do is rebut fear mongering statements like this with some facts about lasers. The hysteria caused by simple ignorance is one of the biggest problems.

I think knowledgeable forum members should respond whenever possible online to help defuse the hysteria. We shouldn't let this ignorance go unchallenged. I think our responses should be considerate and informative and we must be careful not to call the people who are over-reacting "stupid" or denigrate them in any way. All they know is what they see in science fiction movies and the word "laser" stirs up all kinds of false associations.

Since most of us live in democratic countries, education must be the first order of business if we are to get sensible laws concerning high-powered lasers. We need to take an active role in laser education, and since we are all online, incidents/stories like this are an opportunity to get helpful information out. We need to post some comments and responses to this story.

Let's go!

Click to expand...

i completely disagree. i think we should cull the weak.

michael

@Tech-Junkie: I am going, LOL.

Mon Dieu ... The laser was a 150mW, and while trying to produce his own 'laser show' in front of the mirror (by himself? ... was he on ecstasy or acid???) , the beam hit both his eyes several times (!!!). He's 15 and was able to order a 150mW laser, yet didn't do any research? Full article here. At least his vision has somewhat recovered, but I'm sure he's learned his lesson!

Edit: I'm SURE he's learned his lesson ... the drug Ranibizumab gets INJECTED into the vitreous humor of the eye once a MONTH!!! Owwww!!! More goggles, more goggles, need more goggles!!!

I strongly suspect he had to be staring directly into the beam to see if "He could take it..." etc. to get that very visible clot/burn in the retina like that.

150mW off a mirror is definitely enough to cause permanent eye-damage, and injure the rods and cones in the region faster than your blink reflex can respond, but I'm highly skeptical that accidental flashing would cause bleeding and scarring like that.

In the picture supplied by MSNBC (assuming the source is correct) it looks like he burned out his entire fovea. (Center of visual acuity in the retina...)

Looking through medical pictures of laser damage from much more potent sources or intentional laser surgery, it's much less profound than that huge scar. Small dots of damage, a patch of discoloration etc.

AJ_Dual said:

Yeah, I saw that article last night, linked elsewhere...

I can see vision loss, cones catching a flash of 150mW 532nm might never recover, but an actual BURN like that off of a mirror bounce?

I think the kid is still not telling the whole truth of how he got that. :/

Click to expand...

That's what i thought too.

lasersbee said:

I have no reason to not believe it.... I have no proof it is
true or not.. We don't know how powerful the Laser was.

But I like to err on the side of safety and tend to believe in
the Human stupidity factor...

Showing this 1000 times won't hurt and maybe wake up the
"experts" to the possibility of this happening.


Jerry

Click to expand...

Article says 150 mW.

LSRFAQ said:

Prevent it. You have a smaller nation. Work with your regulators.
Otherwise you will get some globalized law, and once it place, it WILL be hard to change. This was never a problem until the prices of DPSS green went way, way, down. Suggest some form of 70 question, online, multiple choice test and a cheap license or permit for powers over Class IIIA, and use the profits towards Customs enforcement. USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Transport Canada and Industry Canada are a lot more sane then the US system, and they tend to listen to citizens.

Once a globalized rule gets started, thanks to the internet and/or treaty we will ALL have the same rules.

Ask yourself what might happen if they start getting illuminations at Chinese airports? Bye, Bye DPSS.

Steve

Click to expand...

that wont be me, i aint even legal in Canada. :crackup:


You learn from mistakes, that kid probably will be more careful and buy safety glasses.