Same as above^^^^
Accidents happen that's why they are called accidents---with lasers and eye damage they happen so fast in less than the blink reflex time of an eye 0.25 seconds,. There is no chance of avoiding an accident once it is about to happen---not enough time to be able to take corrective action to prevent the impending accident from happening.
No protection is no protection and you take your chances---so safe is relative.
Looking at the beam while pointing at the sky with no eye protection is safer than some other activities with a laser and no eye protection and no it is not absolutely positively a safe situation .
While wearing lasers goggles you can have a greater degree of comfort that you are protected from accidental eye damaging exposure.
See this thread for what some other members say:
https://laserpointerforums.com/threads/at-what-power-will-the-beam-damage-your-eyes.98366/
Here is laser eye safety guide, easy to understand:
https://www.lasersafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/LaserSafetyGuide.pdf
Get an appropriate Eagle Pair of laser goggles---from Survival Lasers ---they are a well proven product offering good laser safety good protection See:
https://www.survivallaserusa.com/Safety_Goggles/cat1667093_1527285.aspx
Have a read here:
https://www.laserpointersafety.com/treatment/treatment.html
Even Wicked Laser now publishes serious caution about " Blue light hazard" and the445nm blue Arctic from :
https://www.wickedlasers.com/laser-tech/blue_light_hazard.html
" Prolonged exposure to blue laser light can alter and have a diminishing effect on a person's perception of the color green.Patients who were treated for being exposed too long to intense blue laser light in the milliwatt range were only able to perceive the green color in a period of about 4-6 months.
The blue wavelength can cause a distinct biochemical action in the release of free radicals which are then effectively absorbed by red blood cells in the capillaries. Blue laser light, 445nm or 470nm is absorbed more effectively by retinal tissue compared to 532nm green or 650nm red laser light.
Though laser safety goggles can protect a person's vision, it's always best to remember NEVER to look into a laser beam or bright reflection even when wearing laser safety goggles.
Overall, the best protection is still in arming oneself with preventive knowledge and to exercise responsibility and proper restraint when using lasers."
Direct or indirect skin exposure to blue laser light is also harmful. The MPE (Maximum Permissible Exposure) for skin for a 3mm beam of this wavelength is approximately 200mW/CM^2. This is laser can easily generate a power density (irradiance) of about 15 Watts/CM^2. Therefore, this laser's beam exceeds the skin exposure MPE by ( 15 / 0.2 ) = 75 times. At this level of irradiance, skin exposure to the intense blue laser light can possibly cause cancer. Do not allow bare skin to be exposed, including your face when wearing safety goggles, to light diffusely reflected from any surface closer than several inches. This laser is a thousand times stronger than sunlight on skin and any type of exposure should be avoided whether it be from the collimated beam or close exposure to its bright diffused reflections.
Blue light hazard can cause BLINDNESS and not just color perception issues. The power of this laser is no joke, at 1W the Spyder III Pro Arctic is a Class 4 Laser. Do not allow unprotected eye exposure to diffusely scattered light from the beam terminating on a wall, the floor or other flat surface from this laser closer than 3 feet. Accidental eye exposure will definitely result in instant retina tissue damage even within just milliseconds of exposure. Direct eye contact with the beam or reflected will cause instant permanent damage and blindness. Sometimes blindness may take a day or longer for the onset. Unlike instant injury from a bright flash of a red or green laser, this effect is cumulative over 24 hours. It is also possible that such an exposure could cause retinal degeneration and even loss of vision later in life.
This is a very serious issue and would like to reiterate that extreme care, proper safety gear and the necessary safety precautions be followed when using the Spyder III Pro Arctic, it is not a toy, it is a high power Class 4 1W laser. In addition, this laser must NEVER be used to play with your pets. At close range, this Class 4 beam will cause immediate and irreversable retinal damage. Close proximity to the beam's diffused reflection off floors and walls could potentially cause injury and blindness. In general, DO NOT aim this laser on yourself, on your skin, on animals, on others or target moving vehicles and airplanes.
The Spyder III Pro Arctic blue laser should only be handheld by individuals who have appropriate laser safety training and product familiarity in using Class 4 lasers. For more information and guidance please refer to
ANSI Standard Z136.1 from the American National Standards Institute on the safe use of lasers."