Laser pointers should not exist!

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Reading through this thread reminds me of 2001 Space Odyssey

My God...it's full of idiots

Folks really need to do some basic searching on lasers. I've stared into my pointer which is 3mw or so through several sets of batteries because it looks real cool inside. Never had any problems.

 

[Baked]

Special Ed seminar?

 

[lizardboy]

OP got laser bukkaked

 

[mobobuff]

When I had a laser pointer, I pointed it directly at my eye from 2 inches away for like 15 seconds, and my vision was not effected at all, nor did my eye feel "funny".

Now, figuring that the source of the laser is a good 20 meters or so away, you have to realize that the dot is moving considerably faster than the tip of the pointer, so the odds of it staying on or even hitting your eye is very unprobable.

Stop being a pansy.

 

[GreatBarracuda]

Originally posted by: mobobuff
When I had a laser pointer, I pointed it directly at my eye from 2 inches away for like 15 seconds, and my vision was not effected at all, nor did my eye feel "funny".

Now, figuring that the source of the laser is a good 20 meters or so away, you have to realize that the dot is moving considerably faster than the tip of the pointer, so the odds of it staying on or even hitting your eye is very unprobable.

Stop being a pansy.

Was it a class 3a pointer with a range of about 600m?

 

[StageLeft]

I shot my brother in the eye at christmas with a laser scope on a BB gun a lot. It's highly overrated the damage they cause; he can still see fine I wouldn't want to stare in one for 20 minutes, but these are not metal-cutting lasers here.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Booster

Originally posted by: So
Oh, and to prove my point....shine the laser on something else (say, your hand) -- it doesn't even get warm! Shine one of the lasers that they use for surgery on a plastic cup and it will begin to melt pretty fast.

Well IMO it's not the power itself that could damage one's vision. It's the light - overly bright, highly focused. No matter what people in this thread say, I'm still pretty sure any kind of laser isn't safe.

LOL you're a retard.

 

[Amused]

It's hard to believe someone is this damn stupid.

But, unfortunately, I believe it.

 

[BespinReactorShaft]

Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
If you stared at a laser pointer for three hours while simultaneously stabbing yourself in the eye with a knife then I guess your eye could be damaged.

You know, I used to think the light coming out of optical mice could be damaging. :disgust:

 

[sharkeeper]

Folks if you're really bored you can read an official document regarding the classifiication of laser products.

Additionally, you can calculate how dangerous your laser product really is by using its specifications. 1 mRad divergence means the beam diameter increases 1mm per meter of travel. Anyone that is familar with basic high school math can figure this stuff out.

Typical laser pointer specification:

Beam diameter at egress point: 1.5 mm
Beam divergence: 1.25 mRad
Power output <5mW (per CDRH)
Wavelength: 670-532 nM

Further reading:

Sam Goldwasser's excellent FAQ. Start with the section on laser safety as it's obvious that many participants in this discussion are misinformed.

 

[Booster]

Originally posted by: Amused
It's hard to believe someone is this damn stupid.

But, unfortunately, I believe it.

Heck, the thread is still alive. On a side note, maybe I'm a little less stupid now - learned a lot about these pointers thanks to posters here. Conclusion: laser pointers are dangerous and stupid crap. Just like I originally thought.

 

[Tom]

what happens if you put a lazer beam in a microwave ?

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: Booster

Originally posted by: Amused
It's hard to believe someone is this damn stupid.

But, unfortunately, I believe it.

Heck, the thread is still alive. On a side note, maybe I'm a little less stupid now - learned a lot about these pointers thanks to posters here. Conclusion: laser pointers are dangerous and stupid crap. Just like I originally thought.

Would it be better if the instructor used a pointing stick or a yardstick instead of a laser pointer? I mean, if he was flinging it around, it could hit someone in the eye!

I CANNOT LET THESE DEVICES STAY ON THE MARKET!

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
Folks if you're really bored you can read an official document regarding the classifiication of laser products.

Additionally, you can calculate how dangerous your laser product really is by using its specifications. 1 mRad divergence means the beam diameter increases 1mm per meter of travel. Anyone that is familar with basic high school math can figure this stuff out.

Typical laser pointer specification:

Beam diameter at egress point: 1.5 mm
Beam divergence: 1.25 mRad
Power output <5mW (per CDRH)
Wavelength: 670-532 nM

Further reading:

Sam Goldwasser's excellent FAQ. Start with the section on laser safety as it's obvious that many participants in this discussion are misinformed.

The OP is talking about laser POINTERS, not laboratory lasers. The article you linked to is crap, no consumer laser pointer would make any sort of burn mark on electrical tape or produce "whisps of smoke". I've owned a few consumer laser pointers, I think I should know.

The OP is a misinformed wiener, simple as that.

 

[Quasmo]

I hope this is a joke cause you're an idiot.

 

[Quasmo]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
They should outlaw knives, some could really just carelessly stab you in the face

I shall take on this task

 

[quizzelsnatch]

FIRE THE LASER!!!

 

You stare at a monitor for hours a day yet worry about a laser pointer in your eye.

 

[RaDragon]

Originally posted by: Booster
Yesterday I visited a seminar, and the lecturer had a laser pointer. Little thing he used to aim at the board. Then suddenly he waved it carelessly and the freaking beam almost got into my eye! It was so unexpected! Even though I knew the damn thing was no good from the very beginning.
...

You should've filled-out those surveys at the end of the seminar and wrote what happened. Those lecturers (and planners) need to hear about such things!

At least you're ok, though?

 

[Mark R]

There are no credible medical reports of any eye injury caused by a laser pointer.

There are occasional reports of people who were 'assaulted' with a laser pointer, and who had a vision test afterwards which was mildly abnormal - however, none had had an eye test before the incident.

There have been experiments where volunteers with a progressive eye disease awaiting surgery stared into laser pointers (at the maximum legal power) for 15 minutes - no injuries were noted- either by the volunteers, or by the surgeons when they operated on the exposed eyes. The only side effects noted were discomfort and some headaches.

There is no realistic eye injury risk from laser pointers. The major risk from laser pointers is possible injury due to their startling brighness, or distraction while driving or operating machinery.

There is genuine concern over high powered lasers, which are now small enough to look and be used like pointers. These cannot legally be sold as pointers - however, there have been a number of cases of such lasers being sold over the internet - some of them were 40-50x more powerful than the legal limit for a laser pointer - such lasers do pose a serious injury risk - not just to eyes, as they can also cause significant skin burns - as well as posing a serious risk of fire.

 

[CrazyPerson]

my cat loves that stuff

 

[LtPage1]

youre being WAY over paranoid. get over yourself.