Can Zebralight headlamps be hazardous to other people's eyesight?

Cemoi

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
529
Location
France
One frequent recommendation here on CPF is not to stare directly at a power LED. Some datasheet mention that such LEDs are equivalent to Class II lasers regarding eyesight protection.
So I wonder if the Zebralight headlamps may not be dangerous to people around the person who carries the light on his head. Of course this is true for all flashlight and headlamps, but because of the very wide beam angle of the ZL, it is more difficult to avoid having people in the beam coverage.
 

Polish Mike

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
23
A zebralight is not magic - the wide beam means that the power of a potentially blinding LED is spread over a much larger area in a zebra than in a "throwy" light.
The amount of lumens produced is the same for a floody light as for a focused beam with the same source, but the number of lux (lumens/area) is lower. Its the power that actually reaches your eyes that matters and can potentially cause eye damage, not the total power (which is why even wimpy laser pointers are dangerous - not much power, but all of it can fit nicely in an eyeball)
 
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