LEDs bad for eyes?

I read on the package my Brinkmann headlamp came in that in order to avoid eye damage, the light should never be shined into the face of anyone. The only time I've read that before is on a laser pointer. Is there a similarity to lasers with LEDs? Is it the same kind of light?

This is the only time any cautions of any type need to be taken is with high-brightness LEDs and Luxeons; the "danger" is only from the high intensities of these light sources - they are not point sources like lasers and cannot damage the eyes in the same manner. As long as you don't just place these LEDs or devices containing them right up to your eye and let it cook there for awhile, there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about here - unless the LED radiates light below approximately 420nm - then you may begin to face danger from UVA radiation. But you'd have to stare directly into the beam to even come close to eye damage. No worries at all about reflected radiation from a nonspecular (nonreflective) surface.

Thank you! That's good to know. Now I don't have to worry so much about it. They probably put those warnings on there for liability concerns as much as anything else.