200mw to eye

[FatalaS]

I'm planning to buy 200mw green laser(most likely this one link)
And I'm not sure about buying safety goggles because they 're quite expensive.What would happen if 200mw laser accidentally go into my eye from mirror reflection?

P.S. I have eye glasses,do they help little bit or not?

 

[Speedy78]

You can get adequate safety glasses pretty cheap. You only have one set of eyes and you need to protect them. Eye glasses will help focus the laser even more on to the back of your eye and make it more dangerous.

 

[Livinloud]

your eye would be TOAST w/o proper SAFETY glasses. corrective eye glasses dont do crap. you only have one pair of eyes and once they are damaged they cant be fixed too well.

let me put it like this: would you ride a motorcycle down the road without a helmet? can you put a price on your skull? one accident will severely injure you if not kill you!

Well when it comes to lasers and your eyes it similar, no you wont die from direct exposure to your eye but it will severely injure your eye requiring EXTENSIVE medical attention if not blind your eye completely.

In the end its your call but you can get safety glasses that do an alright job for $10, do a great job for $45, or are certified and block not only 532 but also 808+ for $200. what are your eyes worth to you?

 

[FatalaS]

Thanks for fast response,I have few more questions:

- What if that laser will hit my eye only for like a second,will that do any damage?
- Do you must use your goggles when outside?
- Can your eye get hurt if person 1km or more away points laser to your eye?
- Are these safety goggles are good enough? link

P.S. I find it difficult to wear safety goggles because I don't see almost anything without my eye glasses

 

[Livinloud]

Thanks for fast response,I have few more questions:

- What if that laser will hit my eye only for like a second,will that do any damage?
- Do you must use your goggles when outside?
- Can your eye get hurt if person 1km or more away points laser to your eye?
- Are these safety goggles are good enough? link

P.S. I find it difficult to wear safety goggles because I don't see almost anything without my eye glasses

1. we did a poll for volunteers to get hit in the eye with lasers to test the effects and surprisingly no one volunteered :thinking:
2. depends, when pointing in the sky and no chance of reflections coming back then no. if burning or doing up close looking at the dot yes.
3. refer to #1
4. i cant read whatever language that is but id say no. there is no way of testing the actual output of that laser so there is no way of telling the quality.

the therm "good enough" scares me because, at least to me, there is NOTHING good enough for my eyes. everything could always be better. then put on top of this question #3, who the heck would say hey, go stand over there and point this at my eye. when using a laser everyone should be BEHIND you thus not even allowing a chance for someone to get hit in the eye!!!!

please use the search bar to find proper safety glasses. this is one of the hottest topics on the forum and you will be able to find AMPLE information on your questions. if after you search, you still have questions then we are glad to answer them.

 

[FatalaS]

When burning a match there is no reflection back so I don't need to wear glasses,Do I?Because many people don't and so far haven't heard any accident which caused laser while burning match.

P.S. That's Lithuanian language.

 

[Speedy78]

Theres always light reflected back. If there wasnt you woulnt be able to see it. The light reflected off a match head from a high powered laser is enough to damage your eyes.

Just get glasses.

 

[Livinloud]

it seems as if you lack proper laser knowledge so if i were you, i wouldnt buy a high powered or low powered laser right now. read up and learn more about lasers and the dangers they posses and then once you have the knowledge you can buy one.

as far as this allegation that many people dont wear glasses when lighting matches, where exactly did you unearth this information?

just remember, you should treat ALL lasers as if they are over-spec and as if they were a loaded gun. if you don't, then you shouldn't own them.

UPDATE: photo of the human eye vs one hit with a laser

NORMAL EYE

EYE AFTER BEING HIT WITH 1W 445 FOR A SPLIT SECOND

now i know you are going to say well thats 1000mW of 445 and im asking about 200mW of 532 and my response would be it doesn't freakin matter! a laser beam is a laser beam, anything over 5mW will do damage to your eye no matter what! this doesnt mean go to fleabay or scamazon and buy a 5mW laser because if you did they are ALL way over-spec! in reality those "5mW" lasers are putting out 50-100+ mW. plus 532 lasers also put out IR which is invisible and is the deadliest part of a 532 laser.

plus depending on where you are from it is illegal to own any laser over 5mW

im not trying to be rude at all, im just being realistic. there are too many people who dont understand lasers or laser safety and the majority of them do dumb things with lasers and get caught. this isnt good for the laser hobbyist and it makes it harder for us to enjoy our hobby since new regulations get imposed on us.

 

[Speedy78]

Over-spec*

 

[Livinloud]

i know, i changed it, got a little amp'd up and put the opposite thing :na:

BTW that photo of the laser damaged eye was from accidental reflection and NOT "DIRECT" CONTACT so just imagine how much worst direct contact would have been.

 

[FatalaS]

Livinloud,I've read that thread and seen these photos ,but still thanks.Just because of that thread I decided to ask is it really worth buying safety glasses because nobody (as far as I know) in Lithuania doesn't use safety goggles (been watching several youtube videos).Also I've read that approximately up to 1.4 micrometer wavelength is often considered to be safe for the eyes. This is due to the fact that the internal molecular vibrations of water molecules strongly absorb light in this part of the spectrum. Thus, the wavelength of the laser beam is suppressed cornea and the light almost does not reach the retina.Here in Lithuania there are no prohibitions for lasers because only like 200 people out of 3millions has them and no stupid people who disturbs pilots during the flight (however this had happened 4years ago) ,but since then no such accidents.

So in short I should buy glasses and use them when lighting a match,poping balloon,playing with mirrors,but no glasses when outside pointing at the sky.

P.S. How about my friends,what if I want to light a match and they don't have safety goggles is there any chance to damage their eyes?

P.S.S. Sorry for my ignorance,lack of knowledge and poor english language.(I'm 15 only by the way)

 

[Livinloud]

lack of knowledge is fine as long as you are motivated to learn. keep reading and you will be fine. as far as glasses for your friends, its up to them, if they are dumb enough not to wear them then you cant stop them but that doesn't mean they wont come back at you, or your parents due to your age, for compensation for their damaged vision. best bet is to do what i did, bought eagle pair glasses for myself and then a bunch of the uvex ones for friends (although im looking to get another pair of eagles for my GF since i value her vision like mine)

as far as your fellow Lithuanians (not sure if thats right), they are just dumb for not using safety glasses. you on the other hand will be the smartest of them all for wearing some and yet you are only 15 so :beer:

dont worry about the language barrier, you arent alone.

the only time i dont wear my glasses is when the laser is directly in the sky, other than that, they are on. hope that helps out

BTW just because you dont see the user in the video wearing glasses doesnt mean they arent. there are plenty of members here who i know for a fact wear safety glasses but yet in their videos they dont point it out because its known they wear them.

 

[TheDukeAnumber1]

Fatalas, my jaw is literally dropping at your posts. Your a prime example of how a little knowledge is dangerous.

Yes even for a split second 200mw will permanently damage your eye. There actually is a lot of light reflecting off of a match when you light it with a laser, that's how you see the light, it's reflecting off, and even this reflection can be damaging at close range.

If you plan on lighting or burning anything ever with your laser you will need safety glasses. You have plenty of cheap options that can wrap around your prescription so you can wear both. You have no excuses for not buying yourself safety glasses.

This is for your own safety, plenty of people have received permanent damage. Just give it some thought and do the right thing, either way whether you blind yourself or not we gave you the information to protect yourself.

 

[Things]

because nobody (as far as I know) in Lithuania doesn't use safety goggles (been watching several youtube videos).

So if everyone on YouTube jumped off a cliff, you think it'd be safe to do so?

Also I've read that approximately up to 1.4 micrometer wavelength is often considered to be safe for the eyes. This is due to the fact that the internal molecular vibrations of water molecules strongly absorb light in this part of the spectrum. Thus, the wavelength of the laser beam is suppressed cornea and the light almost does not reach the retina.

Partially true, except you're not going to get a 1.4um laser in a handheld.

Here in Lithuania there are no prohibitions for lasers because only like 200 people out of 3millions has them and no stupid people who disturbs pilots during the flight (however this had happened 4years ago) ,but since then no such accidents.

So just because they're still legal makes them completely safe?

So in short I should buy glasses and use them when lighting a match,poping balloon,playing with mirrors,but no glasses when outside pointing at the sky.

Yes, the previous 5 posts have said this.

P.S. How about my friends,what if I want to light a match and they don't have safety goggles is there any chance to damage their eyes?

Absolutely.

 

[mwang]

A laser is a weapon, just like a loaded gun. Treat it as such. You wouldn't point a loaded gun at yourself or at anyone else, as it is dangerous. You wouldn't want to have any chance of damaging your eyes with a laser, so obviously you have to use safety glasses whenever you are viewing the bright dot or diffuse light from the laser. There is no other option; unless you want to damage your eyes, buy safety glasses and wear them while using your laser.

 

[mhemling33]

Partially true, except you're not going to get a 1.4um laser in a handheld.

I saw that too and thought it was kind of funny