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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

QUESTION. Does a laser need to HIT your eye to cause damage?

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Aug 13, 2013
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My idiot friend was pointing a 550mw green laser at my chest today, and I looked up. The beam never made contact with my eye, but I saw the green light emanating from the pointer. It lasted probably almost a second before I reacted and looked away.

I immediately wanted to punch him. He was incredulous when I told him you can cause permanent damage and that they aren't friggen toys, and I am just shocked at how you could own one and NOT know that.

I don't notice any immediate damage (my right eye kind of hurts a tad, but probably because I am looking for things to be wrong lol)
 
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First off, it's probably not 550mW unless he spent some serious $$$ on it. Second of all, seems like you're ok, as long as the beam didn't enter your eye. Chances are you saw some of the laser's splash, that's ok. Although his laser is probably leaking IR, not sure about that. You should be fine, but if you notice any sight problems you should see a doctor

Most people are very oblivious to laser safety... very very disappointing
 
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First off, it's probably not 550mW unless he spent some serious $$$ on it. Second of all, seems like you're ok, as long as the beam didn't enter your eye. Chances are you saw some of the laser's splash, that's ok. Although his laser is probably leaking IR, not sure about that. You should be fine, but if you notice any sight problems you should see a doctor

Most people are very oblivious to laser safety... very very disappointing

His friend was recently in Thailand and got it for him. It is marked as 550mw, and is a green laser. If that helps, I'm naive in terms of lasers (but know enough to understand they are clearly not toys)
 
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It was probably 50mW unless he spent several hundred $$$ you should be fine
 
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Whatever the power your definitely in the right to be upset with him. It's tough to deal with someone like that.
 

Cel

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Well, the laser can hit you on the skin, and cause damage if it has reached enough power density...

But to damage something, laser must hit that, directly, or indirectly (reflection)...
 
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over reacting lol
MAYBE^^^

*************

What you say is impossible-our blink reflex is involuntary-and happens at .25 seconds- high power= yag and pulsed lasers etc can do serious damage in that amt. of time..

Sometimes..
No pain will be felt even tho there may be an injury
In some parts of our eyes there are little or no pain receptors in our eyes.

So if you do have pain I do not think that is a very good sign.
Eye injuries vary with the wavelength the power of course and if the 'hit' was direct or not.
The worst place is your fovea.

Your good eye and the parts of the injured eye that still function will 'fill in' the missing spot cause by laser burn as the brain does this already for our 'blind spots' .
I would suggest a visit to a good eye doctor and you should tell him of the possible injury so he can look for it.








Reflections are very common accidental hits=mirrors(especailly on your car) windows or any shinny surface. Just quit letting non-laser people touch any of your lasers ever.
Taking pics from your car makes for A BAD COMBO-- We can overlook our side rear view mirror.

Side hits to our eyes are less dangerous.
Green cheap DPSS lasers have poor or no IR filters- that is one wavelength you never want entering your eye.

Your mistake was handing it over-- lesson learned.
 
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Read the other "possible hits threads" your eye hurting is normal since we tend to strain and rub our eyeball in an attempt to discover if its hurt or not, which we then do, it's a laser catch 22 that comes up quite often.
 




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