LASER POINTERS & EYE SAFETY

Sept 2010: A 15 year old Swiss boy who purchased a laser pointer from the Internet damaged his eye sight. He was shining the laser pointer at a mirror to create a light show and accidentally zapped his eyes a few times. (In the US laser pointers have FDA restrictions to prevent immediate damage. The laser the boy purchased was 30 times more powerful than the FDA restricted laser pointers.) The boy is being treated at the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland and noticed blurred vision almost immediately. He was afraid of getting in trouble and didn't tell his parents for two weeks. His vision was so affected in his damaged eye he could not see three fingers held up more than three feet away.

Comments:

• Most schools have policies pertaining to restricted or dangerous items and laser pointers need to be included.
• If a student is found in violation of having a laser pointer, they need to be punished and the word needs to get out to the student population.
• Sometimes businesses have given out laser pointers as part of an advertising or marketing gimmick, be aware.
• I have confiscated two laser pointers in the past: one was being used by a student in the library and one was being used by a student in the cafeteria. 
• Teachers who use laser pointers need to treat them as they would any controlled substance, such as a chemical in chemistry lab. If a laser pointer is left out, it will disappear and reappear when a student has it in their possession and is using it inappropriately. The teacher will be liable, let alone if someone is injured. Wouldn't recommend having them in your classroom, if you can't control its security. 

LASER POINTERS ARE NOT EYE SAFE, period. ANY LASER REFLECTED OR POINTED INTO THE EYES CAN CAUSE DAMAGE.