Damaged eyes?

[LuxLuthor]

Again, it was really great for you to share your experiences. The unfortunate thing is all those buying these lasers and not reading this or similar threads to fully realize the dangers. I think I read recently on Wicked's site that they now give goggles to everyone with lights. They were very expensive when I got mine over a year ago, and I'm sure many did not want the extra expense.

 

[stephenmadpotato]

Hey all,
Im back to normal. Everythings fine, from what I can tell I made a full recovery, not sure what a doctor would say however. I know my brain is just compensating but I can't see that dot anymore unless I cover my left eye and focus.

 

[Bimmerboy]

Hey all,
Im back to normal. Everythings fine,

I can't see that dot anymore unless I cover my left eye and focus.

Where does one start with this?

A word of advice is all I can say...

Do not look into beam with remaining eye.

 

[stephenmadpotato]

Haha yep that would suck.

 

[tobjectpascal]

Here's my story...

I bought a 10mw leadlight laser about a year ago i modified it changing the resistors, maxed out the pot, realized it was a little too bright so i knocked the pot back to half way, it visually now gives around 50 - 60mw and i'm very happy at the power....

however even with it fluctuating slightly if left too long on or when it over heats it produces a dual beam (mode switching?) if used for short periods it's fine problem free but...

Twice now i've hit a window / mirror and had the beam hit my eye full on, it was not a point blank but, but for 20 minutes or so all i could see was a green line of dots, blinking my eyes and seeing green blobs over everything... after about an hour or so, the dots went away BUT....

Now i'm not sure if the laser did this or not, but the brightness or intensity level of objects at night or low light don't show in the center, best way to describe this is in a dark room with a little light, you see objects, imagine a white towel, if i look straight at the towel i barely see it, but if i look slightly to the side of it in any direction, i see the white towel...

I'm short sighted have been since the age of about 12, too much using the computer, but this recent problem due to the laser ? anyone else have a similar issue? My brother-in-law sees "black dots" everywhere he looks in bright light due to doing some welding and i assume that's similar to what these people on here talk about, but can the intensity damage the way light is processed?

 

[TorchBoy]

Now i'm not sure if the laser did this or not, but the brightness or intensity level of objects at night or low light don't show in the center, best way to describe this is in a dark room with a little light, you see objects, imagine a white towel, if i look straight at the towel i barely see it, but if i look slightly to the side of it in any direction, i see the white towel...

My 93 year old grandmother has that problem (she says since her cataract operation/s), especially with stars.

 

[Kiessling]

Everyone has that "problem" as it is physiological (normal).
In simple terms ... the center of vision of the retina is better equipped to see colorful and sharp but isn't as effective when there's almost not enough light ... which means there is a threshhold where you just don't see an object when looking at it directly while you can see it when focussing on a spot just next to it.

You can test this with stars ... try focussing on dim stars and they will disappear ... and reappear when you look away.

bernhard

 

[tobjectpascal]

Everyone has that "problem" as it is physiological (normal).
In simple terms ... the center of vision of the retina is better equipped to see colorful and sharp but isn't as effective when there's almost not enough light ... which means there is a threshhold where you just don't see an object when looking at it directly while you can see it when focussing on a spot just next to it.

You can test this with stars ... try focussing on dim stars and they will disappear ... and reappear when you look away.

bernhard

That's good to know thank you, my laser never did it, at least that's one less thing to worry about

 

[Kiessling]

This phenomenon doesn't mean that you haven't laser-induced eye damage in addition to it, of course. I was merely explaining the physiology of the human eye.

 

[itspecialist]

i asked an optometrist about this and he said if it doesnt improve within a year you are out of luck

 

[Vulcan]

So, I was planning on buying a 10mW green laser.

This thread changed my mind.

I don't doubt my own abilities to safely use it... But being at college I can just see someone else getting ahold of it and doing some damage. :X

 

[dimaprok]

...directly into the macula, 0.5 sec or so exposure. It's been 3 days now, and It seems to have gotten very slightly better, but I'm still missing vision in the very center of my right eye. I am so {censored} scared right now, you don't even know it.

I never shined laser in my eyes, but I got a spot and wavy hairline in my right eye that can be seen in the bright light. I am almost certain, I got it from testing video games at Microsoft, particularly xbox games on TV. I remember my eyes hurting so bad first couple weeks, I would have to close them ocationally. Computer games were ok, no problem, I've been playing them for long time before, but it's the refresh rate of TV that hurt the most. I also had to work overtime very often, so 10 hours a day was too much. The spot doesn't bother me much, but it's not so bad.

Also, DO NOT try to "stimulate" your eye by flashing light or what not. It's like getting a sand in your eyes and trying to clear it out by flashing with rubbing alcohol.

 

[laserblue]

even green laser pointers can damage your eyes that's according to Mayo clinic opthalmologists

http://greenlaserpointer.blogspot.com/2007/10/green-laser-pointer-can-cause-eye.html

 

[AvPD]

I'm a new 50mW green laser owner and am worried about even looking at the reflected light indoors due to reading about its possible high IR output. I have a recent predating artifact in my vision that looks like a raindrop on a camera lens when I blink or squint, most likely due to briefly looking into several LED torches I recently bought (why didn't it occur to me to at least use sunglasses). I use some welding goggles I happen to have when using it indoors or when unsucessfully trying to light a match or burn myself, it's simply not worth risking my vision at all just for some trivial laser use. I have been wondering if pointing the laser eg. at the ceiling and looking at the reflected light on a wall is dangerous, it might only be the IR equivalent of looking at a bar heater.

 

[broadgage]

Does anyone know at what distance a handheld laser can damage eyesight?
The beam does diverge with distance, though only very slightly.

The stupidty of pointing lasers at persons, or vehicles containing persons, hopefully does not need repeating here. But what about pointing a laser into apparently empty sky, as is often done, could this endanger the sight of crew in high flying military airplanes? (some of which fly so high as to be not readily visible)

Or what about the practice of directing a laser onto a distant mountain top, could this damage the sight of anyone on the mountain? (who at a distance of perhaps 10 miles would not be visible to the laser user)

Or even taken to the extreme, would a laser directed at the moon be dangerous to anyone on the moon? (i know the moon is empty now, but in future?)

 

[TorchBoy]

Holding lasers steady over ranges of kilometers might be an issue if hand-holding, but there are some very powerful lasers available to consumers these days, and I suppose the more powerful ones are more likely to be mounted.

By the time a laser gets to the moon it covers an area several kilometers across. Only telescopes and retroreflectors on the moon allow the "dot" to be seen from Earth.

 

[rmyc]

and that why those lasers are illegal in the US

 

[stephenmadpotato]

and that why those lasers are illegal in the US

Actually they aren't illegal if you have the 5 point safety system....

 

[laserblue]

WEll with the increasing powers of green laser pointers, i think laser safety googles should also be worn when operating the laser pointers

 

[rmyc]

Actually they aren't illegal if you have the 5 point safety system....

Yes they are, i woked for a green laser company in the US, they sell the best laser product. we were selling high powed green lasers and got audited and fined by FDA. Look at all the high power green lasers they are pretty much all sold from over seas because they are illegal