Safety
Care should always be taken, especially with children, when using a red laser or green laser pointer. The greatest danger of the laser beam is distracting a person from something that requires attention. For example, never flash a laser pointer beam anywhere near a driver or anyone who is operating machinery. Common courtesy tells us not to shine a laser pointer at a performer ( a basketball player; theater actor, etc. ) or at anyone else who might find it unpleasant or distracting.
Focusing directly on a red laser, or green laser beam for several seconds can result in unpleasant spots in front of the eyes. But these disappear in time and it is unlikely that a person will stare at the beam long enough to “see spots” afterward. People, even infants, instinctively do not focus on the sun and the same is true of a laser pointer beam. Research done at the Mayo Clinic* shows that even staring at the laser beam for as long as several minutes does not result in permanent eye damage. Insurance companies are perhaps the best gauge of safety, since their financial well-being depends on identifying dangerous products. The premium for laser pointer insurance is no more than for office chairs.
*. “Laser Pointers and the Human Eye, A Clinicopathologic Study”, Dennis M. Robertson, MD, et al. published in Clinopathologic Report, Dec. 2000.
