"LED's cant damage retinas."

The words from the eye doctor I visited after "playing" with my LED. I was/am seeing spot(s). Although I am seeing gradual improvement with the passing few days. So I went to the eye doctor to make sure I didn't damage my retina or something. lol. He said everthing looked good.

What do you guys think about his quoted statement?

hes probably thinking weak 5mm leds ...go blind him with a cree/seoul and get his "second opinion"

ditto what qip said. maybe he's thinking about some wavelengths that incans have but most LED's dont…eg. IR.
HAGO(and get better!),
Flash

I told him it was not your run of the mill led flashlight. But he was "meh" to that notion. He did mention that he knows torches, and looking directly at the sun can do it. But not LED's. I don't know. But I am sure glad my eye will recover. LMAO.

Wow seeing spots for days? That must've been some powerful LED light! I can look into the sun for a few seconds and I'll only see the spot for a few minutes...

I actually have always had eye issues/problems (cataracts, etc)so stuff like this is not surprising and it was only a cree based light. BTW, I am sure you may know, but even though you think you may be fine, looking directly at the sun is a asking for trouble. If not now, down the line.

"Now, students, we will look at the sun through a telescope!"
"owwwwwwww, why do my eyes hurt"
lol, but seriously, don't do it(look at the sun).
Specifically, what light did you have shone in your eyes, and for how long? Were they using it for self defense(just kidding[hopefully]).

Get well,
Flash

It was just a tactical M-1. Rather not say how and why but it was only for few seconds because I was trying to be "cool." Lesson learned. Lol.

RdlyLite said:

BTW, I am sure you may know, but even though you think you may be fine, looking directly at the sun is a asking for trouble. If not now, down the line.

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you're giving eye advise about not looking into bright objects?
lol. hope your eyes get better man.

I dont know what this means but, before i bought my first surefire i had 20/15 vision and now three years later my vision has gone down to 20/25. Thanks Dr John Matthews and McG.

You know, I was told the same thing about laser pointers:thinking:

In the batterystation customer reviews I saw a post from a guy saying he tests his new lights by turning the lights off, waiting for his eyes to adjust then shining them in a mirror... not the sharpest tool in the shed.

mossyoak said:

I dont know what this means but, before i bought my first surefire i had 20/15 vision and now three years later my vision has gone down to 20/25. Thanks Dr John Matthews and McG.

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20/15 vision means you can see a character that is of 15 pt. font size at 20 feet, 1 pt. font size is 1/72 inch. 20/20 vision means you can read a character that is 20 pt. in size at 20 feet clearly.

RdlyLite said:

It was just a tactical M-1. Rather not say how and why but it was only for few seconds because I was trying to be "cool." Lesson learned. Lol.

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ouch!

From what I have hear - so this is second hand information - the eye's protection mechanism does not cope well with the spectrum of white leds.

The eye shuts down the pupil and squints as though the light was sunlight, but this is not enough to reduce the blue content of bright led light below the damage threshold - in some cases.

There must be a time/intensity dependency here for long-term damage to occur.

I hope you have not caused a permanent blind spot.

Maybe we should all get into the habit of wearing blue-blocking (probably amber) glasses when working up close on high-brightness led projects.

Steve

RdlyLite said:

The words from the eye doctor I visited after "playing" with my LED. I was/am seeing spot(s). Although I am seeing gradual improvement with the passing few days. So I went to the eye doctor to make sure I didn't damage my retina or something. lol. He said everthing looked good.

What do you guys think about his quoted statement?

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He's wrong.

meuge said:

He's wrong.

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As they say on Wikipedia: "reference needed".

For the last two years I bring a pocket torch to my eye doctor to show him. He is veryimpressed withoutput but.. also doesn't htink it's an issue (other than... don't be stuipd with it LOL)


Last year hge saw the Cree A19... still claimsm no problem. Theyear before, it was the Q-3

RdlyLite said:

The words from the eye doctor I visited after "playing" with my LED. I was/am seeing spot(s). Although I am seeing gradual improvement with the passing few days. So I went to the eye doctor to make sure I didn't damage my retina or something. lol. He said everthing looked good.

What do you guys think about his quoted statement?

Click to expand...

LightScene said:

As they say on Wikipedia: "reference needed".

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My thoughts exactly!:shrug:

No offense meuge I just want to understand how you know that the good doctor is wrong?

vescalera said:

20/15 vision means you can see a character that is of 15 pt. font size at 20 feet, 1 pt. font size is 1/72 inch. 20/20 vision means you can read a character that is 20 pt. in size at 20 feet clearly.

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Actually it doesn't have anything to do with font size. 20/15 vision would mean that you can see at 20 feet what most people could see at 15 feet (meaning that you have better than normal vision).

See http://health.howstuffworks.com/question126.htm.