These effects are normally seen after a few hours. Ultraviolet lasers are absorbed by sensitive parts of the cells that make up the cornea causing redness and other symptoms such as discharge. If light is focused onto the central region of the retina, tissue structure cannot be repaired and damage is permanent.

These wavelengths fit into the ‘retinal hazard region’. Direct eye exposure to a class 3 or 4 laser with a wavelength (colour) in the visible to infrared region, causes irreplaceable damage to the retina. And so, you can imagine that these lasers can cause considerable damage to your eyes and skin. But what’s worse is class 4 lasers – these lasers can start a fire. This can be dangerous because all of the energy from the laser beam is depositing on your eye in one go.Ĭlass 3 lasers are EVEN more dangerous. Whereas, for a laser pointer all of the light from it can reach your eye in one go if you were to stare into a laser beam.

This means when you look at the light from a torch only a small section of the full range of light given off from the torch hits your eyes. A laser pointer, however, gives off light of a single colour and does not spread out but instead all the light travels in one direction.

The light from a torch is the combination of many colours and spreads out in all directions. Let’s start off with why a laser pointer is different to a torch. But have you ever paid attention to the warning signs on your laser pointer or how dangerous your laser pointer can be? Well, I’m here to help keep you and your eyes safe from the damage a wrong laser pointer can do. I’m sure all of you reading this have seen or used a laser pointer at some point in your life, or maybe you’ve even bought one online.

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