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"My first eye injury" by Milan Karakaš






Benm

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Actually looking into a barrel of a green laser that is failing to produce light doesnt even seem that stupid unless you know how they work.

Additional problem is that this is also dangerous with low-powered "5 mW" consumer-safe laser pointers, so it must happen quite often since people will buy them as cat toys without giving a thought to the technology. If you had a flashlight that was very dim, it would be safe to look directly into, so i can see people figuring the exact same thing for the leaking IR.... wonder how many people damage their eyes that way.

I suppose you could expect the general population not to look into bright beams as it is fairly obvious that will hurt (like looking into a car headlight at least), but when there is NO bright beam? :)
 
Joined
May 25, 2008
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...THIS is how the general population thinks!!! "Oh wow... bright light... wonder how bright it is in my eye!!".

What is the appeal of this? I have no urge to look into car headlights, torches, etc. and as such I have no urge to look into a laser...
 
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Feb 1, 2008
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it must have been pretty dead then, it would be hard to see the semiconductor itself even with a 5mw pointer.
 

kJoule

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Aug 6, 2009
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damn! the original link doesn't work anymore. I'd appreciate if someone who happens to have text could post it here. thx!
 

Doofus

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Aug 6, 2009
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I would have to be utterly wasted to even THINK about doing that. I like my eyes. I've been hit before with a 100mw green in the face, after letting someone else shine it around. Something like "cool laser, can I see it?" "sure, don't be dumb" "I won't" *shines it in my eyes from 10ft away* "HAH! HURTS DOESN'T IT?" "WTF man, give me that back, NEVER do that"

etc. Didn't experience the discoloration or anything, my regular glasses probably deflected some of the power, and hopefully I blinked fast enough. (I wear -4.25 in my right lens, and -8.25 in my left lens)

Yes, I think it's common sense not to look into a beam of directed energy.
 
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
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Your eyes were not quite open such as in mid blink or your eyes were not facing the beam, or the beam missed your eyes somewhat. You can't blink fast enough, and that's the reason that laser safety glasses are needed. Please be careful with lasers.
 
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
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I had a mishap last night with my friend, I handed him the laser and he was waving it around and somehow faced it towards me, and I think it hit the inner part of my eye near my nose. I think I seen it coming and had my eye somewhat closed, but I had a purple dot in my vision after I blinked(afterimage) for around 20 minutes after, but other then that I don't think I have any vision loss... I'm kinda anxious now, is there anything I should look out for? I should probably buy some glasses...
 

kJoule

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Aug 6, 2009
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I had a mishap last night with my friend, I handed him the laser and he was waving it around and somehow faced it towards me, and I think it hit the inner part of my eye near my nose. I think I seen it coming and had my eye somewhat closed, but I had a purple dot in my vision after I blinked(afterimage) for around 20 minutes after, but other then that I don't think I have any vision loss... I'm kinda anxious now, is there anything I should look out for? I should probably buy some glasses...

The bottom line: lasers should be treated like firearms - never direct them at people, loaded or not. That includes never hand over a laser to a person who doesn't know how to handle it safely.
 
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Joined
Dec 18, 2009
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I think that is a stupid article. All it really does is make leverage for the laser haters to ban these things even more. I don’t know to believe what this guy is experimenting, it sounds nothing more then failure failure failure. It almost sounds like he has optic neuritis which wouldn't be related to lasers at all!

True, this is really stupid article. I don't know why I published it at all.

I did that stupid thing with laser, and still today see little grayish spot right in the center of my left eye. Eye recovered a bit, but that damn spot is still there.

Okay, people. You may laughing on me. What is done, is done. I can't back time and say myself "don't do it". Do not ask me why I did that, because I don't know. Maybe dumb depressive thoughts, maybe other things...

Today, I have pulsed laser which can't make such small damage, only big one. But I learned my lesson. Safety goggles, minimum OD 5, better OD 10, if possible.

This article has no intention to ban lasers at all. It has intention to make awareness of potential danger. Some people contacted me from Germany and asked me to support petition for forbidding free distribution of such lasers. I refused that idea. It is not only laser which is potentially dangerous. All everyday things are dangerous. We can't forbid buying and selling all of that.

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Joined
Dec 18, 2009
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Anyone else notice how he called mWs microwatts ? ;D

Let me cite myself:

"However, looking into any laser beam with more power than a few microwatts of power at all is not recommended!!!"

I not called mWs microwatts! It is just claim that even such small power can damage eyes if used focusing apparatus like microscope or lenses.

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Joined
Dec 18, 2009
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*errherm* This thread is over 4 months old...

Oops. I not looked at the date. I just googled something, and found this article.

However, this subject will be actual for loooong time, and will be repeated from time to time. Maybe not on this forum... Why he did that?! Is he stupid?! Why...?!

Even smartest people make dumb things from time to time... :yabbem:

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