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Another "pointer" is that the pupil doesn't constrict under red light - I assume the laser is red - so even after long exposure the eye won't protect itself by attenuating the light.
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Dry fire practice with laser. Warning.
- Thread Starter twoclones
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Yes, it's red. Interesting bit of biology there. The pain level told me that "long exposure" would be highly unlikely. LOL
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Many obvious references in news, etc., to the serious damage one can experience with a laser pointer directed into the eye. I never heard or read anything, though, about potential harm from the red laser in a retail/clerical barcode scanner or a computer mouse. Too diffused to be dangerous? Just as bad?
Of course I will avoid practicing in the mirror with either until I learn more.
Of course I will avoid practicing in the mirror with either until I learn more.
Eye damage is mostly a funcion of laser intensity and time it is shooting in your eye. The barcode lasers are spinning or tracing, so the laser only points at your eye the percentage of the time that has it crossing the iris. I'd guess way under 1% of the time.
My mouse seems to have an idiot switch that turns it off when it is upside down.
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I play with lasers above the 0.5 W level (basically class 4) occasionally. These are very dangerous if you don't have the right eye protection and know what you're doing. They can burn the skin and ignite flammable material. Pistol grip sighting lasers are probably class 2 or lower, basically < 1mW. As long as you aren't viewing them through an optical device, like a scope or binoculars, and you don't purposely try to keep staring at it you'll probably be OK. How dangerous they are depends on the output in milliwatts and the wavelength. The higher the wattage the quicker they will do damage, up to instantaneously. Higher wattage classes can do damage even when reflected off painted drywall. The wavelength (color) determines the kind of damage done. See below:
Wavelength range Pathological effect
180–315 nm (UV-B, UV-C) photokeratitis (inflammation of the cornea, equivalent to sunburn)
315–400 nm (UV-A) photochemical cataract (clouding of the eye lens)
400–780 nm (visible) photochemical damage to the retina, retinal burn
780–1400 nm (near-IR) cataract, retinal burn
1.4–3.0μm (IR) aqueous flare (protein in the aqueous humour), cataract, corneal burn
3.0 μm–1 mm corneal burn
Class 1
CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT
A Class 1 laser is safe under all conditions of normal use. This means the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) cannot be exceeded when viewing a laser with the naked eye or with the aid of typical magnifying optics (e.g. telescope or microscope). To verify compliance, the standard specifies the aperture and distance corresponding to the naked eye, a typical telescope viewing a collimated beam, and a typical microscope viewing a divergent beam. It is important to realize that certain lasers classified as Class 1 may still pose a hazard when viewed with a telescope or microscope of sufficiently large aperture. For example, a high-power laser with a very large collimated beam or very highly divergent beam may be classified as Class 1 if the power that passes through the apertures defined in the standard is less than the AEL for Class 1; however, an unsafe power level may be collected by a magnifying optic with larger aperture.
Class 1M
LASER RADIATION
DO NOT VIEW DIRECTLY WITH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
CLASS 1M LASER PRODUCT
A Class 1M laser is safe for all conditions of use except when passed through magnifying optics such as microscopes and telescopes. Class 1M lasers produce large-diameter beams, or beams that are divergent. The MPE for a Class 1M laser cannot normally be exceeded unless focusing or imaging optics are used to narrow the beam. If the beam is refocused, the hazard of Class 1M lasers may be increased and the product class may be changed. A laser can be classified as Class 1M if the power that can pass through the pupil of the naked eye is less than the AEL for Class 1, but the power that can be collected into the eye by typical magnifying optics (as defined in the standard) is higher than the AEL for Class 1 and lower than the AEL for Class 3B.
Class 2
LASER RADIATION
DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM
CLASS 2 LASER PRODUCT
A Class 2 laser is safe because the blink reflex will limit the exposure to no more than 0.25 seconds. It only applies to visible-light lasers (400–700 nm). Class-2 lasers are limited to 1 mW continuous wave, or more if the emission time is less than 0.25 seconds or if the light is not spatially coherent. Intentional suppression of the blink reflex could lead to eye injury. Many laser pointers and measuring instruments are class 2.
Class 2M
LASER RADIATION
DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM OR VIEW
DIRECTLY WITH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
CLASS 2M LASER PRODUCT
A Class 2M laser is safe because of the blink reflex if not viewed through optical instruments. As with class 1M, this applies to laser beams with a large diameter or large divergence, for which the amount of light passing through the pupil cannot exceed the limits for class 2.
Class 3R
LASER RADIATION
AVOID DIRECT EYE EXPOSURE
CLASS 3R LASER PRODUCT
A Class 3R laser is considered safe if handled carefully, with restricted beam viewing. With a class 3R laser, the MPE can be exceeded, but with a low risk of injury. Visible continuous lasers in Class 3R are limited to 5 mW. For other wavelengths and for pulsed lasers, other limits apply.
Class 3B
LASER RADIATION
AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM
CLASS 3B LASER PRODUCT
A Class 3B laser is hazardous if the eye is exposed directly, but diffuse reflections such as those from paper or other matte surfaces are not harmful. The AEL for continuous lasers in the wavelength range from 315 nm to far infrared is 0.5 W. For pulsed lasers between 400 and 700 nm, the AEL is 30 mW. Other limits apply to other wavelengths and to ultrashort pulsed lasers. Protective eyewear is typically required where direct viewing of a class 3B laser beam may occur. Class-3B lasers must be equipped with a key switch and a safety interlock.
Class 4
LASER RADIATION
AVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE TO
DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION
CLASS 4 LASER PRODUCT
Class 4 is the highest and most dangerous class of laser, including all lasers that exceed the Class 3B AEL. By definition, a class 4 laser can burn the skin, or cause devastating and permanent eye damage as a result of direct, diffuse or indirect beam viewing. These lasers may ignite combustible materials, and thus may represent a fire risk. These hazards may also apply to indirect or non-specular reflections of the beam, even from apparently matte surfaces—meaning that great care must be taken to control the beam path. Class 4 lasers must be equipped with a key switch and a safety interlock. Most industrial, scientific, military, and medical lasers are in this category, notably those at the US National Ignition Facility or at the UK Central Laser Facility.
Wavelength range Pathological effect
180–315 nm (UV-B, UV-C) photokeratitis (inflammation of the cornea, equivalent to sunburn)
315–400 nm (UV-A) photochemical cataract (clouding of the eye lens)
400–780 nm (visible) photochemical damage to the retina, retinal burn
780–1400 nm (near-IR) cataract, retinal burn
1.4–3.0μm (IR) aqueous flare (protein in the aqueous humour), cataract, corneal burn
3.0 μm–1 mm corneal burn
Class 1
CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT
A Class 1 laser is safe under all conditions of normal use. This means the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) cannot be exceeded when viewing a laser with the naked eye or with the aid of typical magnifying optics (e.g. telescope or microscope). To verify compliance, the standard specifies the aperture and distance corresponding to the naked eye, a typical telescope viewing a collimated beam, and a typical microscope viewing a divergent beam. It is important to realize that certain lasers classified as Class 1 may still pose a hazard when viewed with a telescope or microscope of sufficiently large aperture. For example, a high-power laser with a very large collimated beam or very highly divergent beam may be classified as Class 1 if the power that passes through the apertures defined in the standard is less than the AEL for Class 1; however, an unsafe power level may be collected by a magnifying optic with larger aperture.
Class 1M
LASER RADIATION
DO NOT VIEW DIRECTLY WITH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
CLASS 1M LASER PRODUCT
A Class 1M laser is safe for all conditions of use except when passed through magnifying optics such as microscopes and telescopes. Class 1M lasers produce large-diameter beams, or beams that are divergent. The MPE for a Class 1M laser cannot normally be exceeded unless focusing or imaging optics are used to narrow the beam. If the beam is refocused, the hazard of Class 1M lasers may be increased and the product class may be changed. A laser can be classified as Class 1M if the power that can pass through the pupil of the naked eye is less than the AEL for Class 1, but the power that can be collected into the eye by typical magnifying optics (as defined in the standard) is higher than the AEL for Class 1 and lower than the AEL for Class 3B.
Class 2
LASER RADIATION
DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM
CLASS 2 LASER PRODUCT
A Class 2 laser is safe because the blink reflex will limit the exposure to no more than 0.25 seconds. It only applies to visible-light lasers (400–700 nm). Class-2 lasers are limited to 1 mW continuous wave, or more if the emission time is less than 0.25 seconds or if the light is not spatially coherent. Intentional suppression of the blink reflex could lead to eye injury. Many laser pointers and measuring instruments are class 2.
Class 2M
LASER RADIATION
DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM OR VIEW
DIRECTLY WITH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
CLASS 2M LASER PRODUCT
A Class 2M laser is safe because of the blink reflex if not viewed through optical instruments. As with class 1M, this applies to laser beams with a large diameter or large divergence, for which the amount of light passing through the pupil cannot exceed the limits for class 2.
Class 3R
LASER RADIATION
AVOID DIRECT EYE EXPOSURE
CLASS 3R LASER PRODUCT
A Class 3R laser is considered safe if handled carefully, with restricted beam viewing. With a class 3R laser, the MPE can be exceeded, but with a low risk of injury. Visible continuous lasers in Class 3R are limited to 5 mW. For other wavelengths and for pulsed lasers, other limits apply.
Class 3B
LASER RADIATION
AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM
CLASS 3B LASER PRODUCT
A Class 3B laser is hazardous if the eye is exposed directly, but diffuse reflections such as those from paper or other matte surfaces are not harmful. The AEL for continuous lasers in the wavelength range from 315 nm to far infrared is 0.5 W. For pulsed lasers between 400 and 700 nm, the AEL is 30 mW. Other limits apply to other wavelengths and to ultrashort pulsed lasers. Protective eyewear is typically required where direct viewing of a class 3B laser beam may occur. Class-3B lasers must be equipped with a key switch and a safety interlock.
Class 4
LASER RADIATION
AVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE TO
DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION
CLASS 4 LASER PRODUCT
Class 4 is the highest and most dangerous class of laser, including all lasers that exceed the Class 3B AEL. By definition, a class 4 laser can burn the skin, or cause devastating and permanent eye damage as a result of direct, diffuse or indirect beam viewing. These lasers may ignite combustible materials, and thus may represent a fire risk. These hazards may also apply to indirect or non-specular reflections of the beam, even from apparently matte surfaces—meaning that great care must be taken to control the beam path. Class 4 lasers must be equipped with a key switch and a safety interlock. Most industrial, scientific, military, and medical lasers are in this category, notably those at the US National Ignition Facility or at the UK Central Laser Facility.
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^^^ Thanks for the good info about lasers, I have a 200mw infrared laser that I use for nightvision illumination. Personally, I get more freaked out handling that laser than handling my firearms, because high powered lasers are no joke. If you're gonna screw around with high powered lasers, there are wavelength specific goggles to protect your eyes from the beam. Even if you think they are pointed in a safe direction, the beam can refract off of multiple surfaces and come right back to your eyes.
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That OP made me laugh.
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Absolutely! This is serious stuff once you get beyond the 5 mW range. If you're going to play with these things you really need to know what you're doing.
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I deserve every dig above
I can see it now, as you stand there in front of the mirror
"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME? I SAID ARE YOU TALKIN TO ME" or "GO AHEAD PUNK.....if I have to finish this for you then your to young. And damn you for making me feel old.
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Any practice is better than no practice...
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Can't do it, damn print is too small
I deserve every dig above
Good Sport.
I agree with you for the most part but the reason for going to the range is so the op will be a little more safety minded since at home he broke the important rule of (never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy) in this case a mirror with a laser and an eye he could have destroyed that is like pointing a empty gun at someone. we've heard what happens with empty guns some go bang
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- Thread Starter
- #35
Wasn't a gun. It was a SIRT.
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Just FYI - there are laser-safe glasses/sunglasses. Absorbs the laser's energy before it makes it to your eyes. Paintball people and others use them. If you are going to be playing with lasers, especially around reflective surfaces like mirrors, chrome doorknobs, etc, they are a good idea. Around $20 online.
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And it was a MIRROR. So even if it was a firearm, where was the safety violation? Because a reflection is like pointing at a person?
I'm missing something here.
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