Indirect green and blue laser reflection damage assesment

[Gremmyg]

Hi.
I researched several topics on this forum and see there are alot of similar questions. I am new to the laser world and don't know much....i just enjoy researching sfx with lasers. Anyway....i was at a bbq where a mans son had 2 lasers: 1 green <5mw and a blue purple <10mw........he was shining them on white and yellow surfaces which made them very very very bright i didn't think much of this at the time, he also started shining all over the damn place and a few times it reflected off glass and mirrors into the corner of my eye.......
I did not however take direct (looking into the source) exposure. I have a headache today ( sensitivity to light) idk if this is related, if its just a little headache from the intense light and thats it or its something i should check asap.

From what i described how bad did i 'get it'.....i assume looking at the dot of the pointer (not the emission source) cant be too bad since they are used for presentations ect.

Thanks guys

 

[WizardG]

A reflection off of glass, or especially a mirror, is essentially the same as looking right into the barrel. If the power of the kids toys was really 5 and 10 mW you're likely OK. If those were feebay lasers though their true power could easily be an order of magnitude higher. I'm neither a doctor nor do I play one on teevee but if there are no artifacts in your vision you're probably OK but I'd have a word with the kids dad if'n I was you.

 

[Gremmyg]

Yup they were apparently off ebay. The warning stickers on the end though state <10 and < 5...... Again they were brief glints BUT it did go on all night.



Ps why would a laser get so darn bright when shined on a yellow crayon? That was the worst one of em all!! Damn near felt the sun

 

[WizardG]

"Ps why would a laser get so darn bright when shined on a yellow crayon? That was the worst one of em all!! Damn near felt the sun"

Those 405nm lasers are really good at making things fluoresce. I think of them almost like very tightly focused black lights.

 

[Pi R Squared]

"Ps why would a laser get so darn bright when shined on a yellow crayon? That was the worst one of em all!! Damn near felt the sun"

Those 405nm lasers are really good at making things fluoresce. I think of them almost like very tightly focused black lights.

That's exactly what it is. Its at the very edge of the visible spectrum at the beginning of UV. The visible spectrum is approximately 400nm to 800mn, 400nm is UV and 800nm is IR. I have a 405nm that is 590mw and it can burn or set something on fire 8 feet away. I wouldn't worry about your eyes, the reflections should have been weak enough to not be any danger, but it is careless and irresponsible to go waving them around with no regard to others present.

Alan