Real Eye Damage

[Bob Firman]

I am working on a report and i've searched high and low.
What kind of damage is done with a laser pointer?
Im looking for a detailed answer not just: " It blinds you".
I want to know what is the process of the damage and how the mW, and nM affect the damage.
Ive heard that permenant damage is possible and ive heard its not.
Is there any actually cases where people have gone blind from a laser pointer, or is it all just "possible".
Does anyone has experiences or know any one that does?
And is there any laser that can cause complete blindness and not just blindspots.

THX

 

[Jaseth]

I doubt you have "searched high and low".
Google->search term "laser eye damage" -> first and second results:

Laser safety - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laser Safety and the Eye

Grab this one for bonus:
Can a pocket laser damage the eye? : Scientific American

The search took 0.08 seconds. You have certainly worked hard to find it yourself, eh buddy?

Seb

 

[Prototype]

There's a thread about it here somewhere. jwc has a blind spot from his 300mW 532nm SKY portable.

Rog8811 also has some information on it: It can be done - Lasers are not toys

Edit: http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/so-i-went-optometrist-today-41880.html that's the thread I mentioned earlier.

 

[Bob Firman]

Lol, Yes I know that ive already seen and read those articles.
I want to see what others think, there is alot of articles all over the web that contridict themselves.
I wanted to see if anyone had anyother experiences or knowledge on the subject.

 

[mfo]

Lol, Yes I know that ive already seen and read those articles.
I want to see what others think, there is alot of articles all over the web that contridict themselves.
I wanted to see if anyone had anyother experiences or knowledge on the subject.

There's a thread here in which a member burned his retina. He's not blind but he has a blind spot in his field of vision. Search for it I'm too lazy to link you.

Edit: Here's the thread I was talking about.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/my-first-eye-injury-milan-karakas-38311.html

 

[Bluefan]

Lasers can cause blindness, a direct of a high power pulsed laser to the blind spot blows up all the nerves exiting the eye. But that's high power pulsed, as in large YAG lasers capable of pulses a few 100 mJ and up, I think lower pulse energies just give eye damage. CW lasers can easily damage the retina f they're higher than 5mW. Lasers of 10mW may just be forgiving if the exposure is a fration of a fraction of a second, but you'll find youself running out of luck soon enough.

Nearly all laser eye damage is permanent, only small lower power exposure slowly heals, do not confuse this with the eyes adapting to their new blind spot.