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FrozenGate by Avery

Lasers & Eyes

S

supernova

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Greetings,

I do not want to get technical here but simply post a general information post for anyone (new or not) to lasers. Safety is a priority. Viewing a beam or dot from a laser can be as dangerous as looking into one. If you seek to obtain or make a laser, BE SURE to PROTECT your eyes. If you have any doubt to viewing a specific laser beam, dot, or directly(never do that), then use a camera and view it indirectly. To view lasers in action, you should have goggles / glasses that block the radiation for the laser your using. Glasses / goggles are specific to certain wavelengths and unless you are sure the ones you have are protecting you from the wavelengths your laser emits, then error on the side of safety. Remember to ensure your glasses protect ALL the wavelengths that are emitted from your laser. Lasers are really cool and fun to use, play it safe and enjoy them for many years to come.

Some discount lasers lack filters in invisible light ranges. If your unable to test or can not trust the manufacturers certificates, then you should obtain eyewear that you trust.

Protect your eyes.

SN
 





Viewing the beam isn't really dangerous unless you are doing something else that you shouldn't be while doing so. Viewing the dot is more of a common sense thing. Pointing a 5-30mw at a wall 30 feet away from you and looking at the dot shouldn't hurt your eyes. Pointing a 200+ at a white wall 5 feet from you and looking at the dot will damage your eyes faster than you can say ouch.

There is one rule that shouldn't ever be broken if you like your vision.
ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHILE USING A LASER TO BURN STUFF/POP BALLOONS.
 
Say I shine a 150mw laser up into the sky and watch it's beam, how can this cause eye damage?

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but really would like to know the idea behind that.

Steve
 
Maxpowa said:
Say I shine a 150mw laser up into the sky and watch it's beam, how can this cause eye damage?

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but really would like to know the idea behind that.

Steve
Click to expand...
It can't. Check my post earlier in this topic.
 
Hmmm, Did I damage my eyes already?
I have a Nova x150, I use it in my bedroom, I ordered the safety glasses but I can barely see the dot and not the beam, the main reason why I got the x150 is that I wanted to see the beam... but looking at the dot on the wall is bad for my eyes? woah... The laser seems kinda useless if I have to use the glasses, I might as well play with a dime store red laser. I played with it outside for awhile and the neighbors freaked out and called the cops. So I feel like I wasted a lot of money on something I cant use. I am also really worried now that I may have damaged my eyes. I never pointed the beam in my eyes, but I did look at the dot on the wall and look at the beam in my room. Quite a bit over the last week. How can I tell if I damaged my eyes already?
 
Caligvla said:
Hmmm, Did I damage my eyes already?
I have a Nova x150, I use it in my bedroom, I ordered the safety glasses but I can barely see the dot and not the beam, the main reason why I got the x150 is that I wanted to see the beam... but looking at the dot on the wall is bad for my eyes? woah... The laser seems kinda useless if I have to use the glasses, I might as well play with a dime store red laser. I played with it outside for awhile and the neighbors freaked out and called the cops. So I feel like I wasted a lot of money on something I cant use. I am also really worried now that I may have damaged my eyes. I never pointed the beam in my eyes, but I did look at the dot on the wall and look at the beam in my room. Quite a bit over the last week. How can I tell if I damaged my eyes already?
Click to expand...
You probably haven't done much damage to your eyes just by using it inside. Novalasers have a decent IR filter and as long as you didn't get hit by a bad reflection and you didn't just stare at the dot on the wall you should be fine. If you really want to see the beam you should take the laser out on a camping trip or to some other isolated place. Sorry about the crappy neighbors lol. I have had some less than friendly neighbors too. They called the cops on a friend for setting off roman candles on the 4th of July.
 
if I had been setting off roman candles I would be in Jail.
Big no no in California...


Thanks for the info, I feel a little better
 
I don't know, today I have been having trouble focusing, and I see a lot of "noise" all the time...
maybe I did screw up my vision, maybe it's a blessing my x150 broke...

hmmm

maybe I am just being over sensitive...
 
Another week and still no improvement on my eyes.
It feels like this... imagine wearing glasses with a big smudge on them. you can't really see the smudge but it makes it difficult to focus and see things clearly. It feels like something is in the way of my vision but I can't see what it is...

any suggestions?

HELP!

:'(
 
Caligvla said:
Another week and still no improvement on my eyes.
It feels like this... imagine wearing glasses with a big smudge on them. you can't really see the smudge but it makes it difficult to focus and see things clearly. It feels like something is in the way of my vision but I can't see what it is...

any suggestions?

HELP!

:'(
Click to expand...
Man up and tell your parents that you need to go to an eye doctor!
 
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