Questions about a 7W handheld

[prolex]

When burning stuff on any surface how dangerous is it to look at the dot of this monster? I don´t usually wear goggles when burning stuff with handhelds from 50 mW to 3.5 W so i need to know.

TLDR: Does it damage your eyes looking at a dot of an 7W handheld laserpointer ? ( I don`t wear goggles alot )

 

[BobMc]

Yes it is, in a big way! Please read;

https://physics.stackexchange.com/q...-have-to-hit-the-eyes-in-order-to-damage-them

Class 4 lasers (anything above .500mw's) will cause permanent damage. Always where glasses when you are viewing the dot up close. Eyes don't grow back. Enjoy and be safe.

 

[RB astro]

( I don`t wear goggles alot )

You will be, permanently in the future if you continue like this.

RB

:cryyy:

 

[Vetttech]

When burning stuff on any surface how dangerous is it to look at the dot of this monster? I don´t usually wear goggles when burning stuff with handhelds from 50 mW to 3.5 W so i need to know.

TLDR: Does it damage your eyes looking at a dot of an 7W handheld laserpointer ? ( I don`t wear goggles alot )

Yes, it will damage your eyes. Much the same way as watching someone Arc-weld without eye protection. Always wear the proper eye protection!!

 

[GSS]

When burning stuff on any surface how dangerous is it to look at the dot of this monster? I don´t usually wear goggles when burning stuff with handhelds from 50 mW to 3.5 W so i need to know.

TLDR: Does it damage your eyes looking at a dot of an 7W handheld laserpointer ? ( I don`t wear goggles alot )

So the bright blue dot and double vision in your eyes for days after your done burning doesn't give you a clue??:undecided:

 

[Emialias]

someone should do a series of tests having a laser pointed at a surface with an lpm nearby at different distances to measure the mw thats coming off the surface. i wouldnt be suprised if the actual scatter actually registers on the lpm.

 

[Encap]

When burning stuff on any surface how dangerous is it to look at the dot of this monster? I don´t usually wear goggles when burning stuff with handhelds from 50 mW to 3.5 W so i need to know.

TLDR: Does it damage your eyes looking at a dot of an 7W handheld laserpointer ? ( I don`t wear goggles alot )

Study this web site--it should answer most questions that you have: Laser Pointer Safety - A comprehensive resource, for safe and responsible laser use

As to if a 7W 445nm laser damage your eyes, see what a 1W 445nm can do here: http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/hit-eye-1000mw-445nm-blue-laser-69469.html

 

[prolex]

So the bright blue dot and double vision in your eyes for days after your done burning doesn't give you a clue??:undecided:

Never had any of this to be honest. If somebody didn`t understand my question, my main worry is the light reflecting from the surface which i am burning. I have never had any eye strain or damage using up to 3.5 W handhelds for this. Mainly haven´t used goggles because i am sure that i will not hit my own eyes I`m going to start using them more often since i am building more powerful ones now.

 

[ElectricPlasma]

Well, to be honest, eye protection for welding is a different can of worms, but regardless it's the fact that eye protection is very important. Sure you can use the laser without eye protection but you're then presenting yourself with a much higher risk of eye damage/blindness, and that's nobody else's responsibility but your own.

Like Bob said, as a rule of thumb it's best to always have goggles on when looking at the dot up close. Beaming your laser in the night sky is sometimes a different story.

Here's a thread I made not too long ago about safety, worth the read IMO: http://laserpointerforums.com/f75/l...aware-your-environment-97407.html#post1421712

 

[paul1598419]

As a matter of clarification, laser light reflected off of nonreflective surfaces acts like a point light source and diminishes as the reciprocal of the distance squared from the surface. This light is not collimated and since the dot can be seen from any place in the room, it is just a bright spot of light, not unlike any other. Now, for protection against accidental reflections back to your eye(s), it is good practice to wear googles made to protect from that wavelength of light. At 7 watts, it takes very little reflected collimated light to permanently damage to your eye(s), so be aware of this risk at all times.

 

[steve001]

I presume this fellow is young because he uses lasers to burn stuff and it's the reason for this critical answer. If you're not smart enough to web search the answer then you should not be using a class 4 laser let alone doing something that has good potential to cause yourself eye damage. In conjunction there's also that hazzard of repeated exposure to blue light. Something one would likely discover when doing a web search.
Even though this poster lives in Finland it is a good example why our FDA would like to tighten rules governing handheld lasers here. There are naive owners of lasers here too.

 

[Encap]

I presume this fellow is young because he uses lasers to burn stuff and it's the reason for this critical answer. If you're not smart enough to web search the answer then you should not be using a class 4 laser let alone doing something that has good potential to cause yourself eye damage. In conjunction there's also that hazzard of repeated exposure to blue light. Something one would likely discover when doing a web search.
Even though this poster lives in Finland it is a good example why our FDA would like to tighten rules governing handheld lasers here. There are naive owners of lasers here too.

Exactly--excellent comment.

 

[paul1598419]

While blue light exposure and damage to the retina of the eyes have been studied extensively, it is the near UV light and light at wavelengths below 430nm that cause concern for this mostly age related retinal damage due to outside light. There have been sunglasses made to protect ones eyes from this effect and some suggest that exposure from LED light sources might also have a deleterious effect. Everything I have read about it concerns sunlight exposure and retinal damage in older people. That is not to say that exposure to bright UV and blue light should not be avoided, but it is hardly a laser light problem.

 

[steve001]

While blue light exposure and damage to the retina of the eyes have been studied extensively, it is the near UV light and light at wavelengths below 430nm that cause concern for this mostly age related retinal damage due to outside light. There have been sunglasses made to protect ones eyes from this effect and some suggest that exposure from LED light sources might also have a deleterious effect. Everything I have read about it concerns sunlight exposure and retinal damage in older people. That is not so say that exposure to bright UV and blue light should not be avoided, but it is hardly a laser light problem.

I would do some more reading on the subject.

 

[paul1598419]

I would di some more reading on the subject.

I have. If there is something you think I've missed, provide a link. :thanks:

 

[prolex]

Thanks for the well informing answers! :yh: I have read about laser safety hazards but never realised the potential danger of the reflective light from normal surfaces. Going to use them from now on.