Reflected laser hit the eye

[Skyslider]

Hello. Need advice from people familiar with the laser.

I set up a laser nozzle for a 500mW 435nm (on half of power) 3D printer. It is mounted on magnets and accidentally fell during operation. The beam bounced off the chrome-plated round pancake from the dumbbell and hit the eye for a split second (1.5m distance). For some time, about 2-3 minutes, I saw yellow spots on a white background of paper, after which everything went away. I don't see any visual defects, spots or shadows. Can I assume that I escaped damage, or that something may manifest itself later?

 

[Sowee7]

Hello. Need advice from people familiar with the laser.

I set up a laser nozzle for a 500mW 435nm (on half of power) 3D printer. It is mounted on magnets and accidentally fell during operation. The beam bounced off the chrome-plated round pancake from the dumbbell and hit the eye for a split second (1.5m distance). For some time, about 2-3 minutes, I saw yellow spots on a white background of paper, after which everything went away. I don't see any visual defects, spots or shadows. Can I assume that I escaped damage, or that something may manifest itself later?

Please see an opthalmologist as soon as possible and please use laser safety glasses from a reputable source (laserglow, Uvex or thorlabs) next time

 

[Zenodilodon]

Hello. Need advice from people familiar with the laser.

I set up a laser nozzle for a 500mW 435nm (on half of power) 3D printer. It is mounted on magnets and accidentally fell during operation. The beam bounced off the chrome-plated round pancake from the dumbbell and hit the eye for a split second (1.5m distance). For some time, about 2-3 minutes, I saw yellow spots on a white background of paper, after which everything went away. I don't see any visual defects, spots or shadows. Can I assume that I escaped damage, or that something may manifest itself later?

Laser damage can appear to be distortions, blind spots, permanent visual artifacts. I have myself blind spots which are small but I can see them if I try to read text ( IE looks at " at " and " at " is a blur/vanishes " in that eye ) My shop mate closes his eye and he sees a brighter spot where he got hit. If you don't see anything like this you are more than likely ok, but laser damage can be cumulative, much like poking small holes barley noticeable in a picture over a long time. There are goggles you can get if you want to avoid this in the future. I'd say ignore the cheapo eBay goggles and get a set that comes from a optical/lab supplier like ThorLabs or Newport and are certified as eyes are more expensive.
If you have questions feel free to ask of us and we'll try to help you out!

 

[CurtisOliver]

>>>Warning<<<


"If you think you need medical help or attention for an eye injury or any other medical problem, you probably do."
"If you have been hit in the eye with a laser and feel you have suffered any type of eye injury as the result of an accident with a laser that may need medical opinion or treatment,
go to a hospital Emergency Room and/or consult a qualified Board Certified MD Ophthalmologist ASAP.
LPF is a laser hobbyist website, not physicians, and cannot give any medical or legal advice.
No professional medical or legal advice is available or possible on LPF"

For additional information see laserpointersafety.com here:
Laser Pointer Safety - What to do if you are hit by a laser pointer or laser pen​

 

[Skyslider]

Thanks a lot guys. Now we have a night, and in the morning I will definitely turn to an ophthalmologist. I do not expect medical advice. I had never been injured by a laser before and it was important for me to know how it felt. At the moment, my vision has not deteriorated in any way, but I experience discomfort in the eyes and a slight headache. I am an IT specialist and I work for more than 8 hours at a PC screen, so I don't know yet if this feeling is related to the laser or just fatigue from working with the monitor. But definitely the situation makes me nervous. So thanks again for your clarification. The experience of Zenodilodon was very helpful in understanding the situation better.