Safety With Laser Pointers

First of all, this is not meant to replace any proffessional medical advice. If you are going to be subject to a laser for a long period of time and you know it, do yourself a favor and consult a doctor.

Lasers are a beam of intense light which remains constant and does not disperse throughout its use (unlike regular light from other sources). It is used to correct eye problems or even cut diamonds. Laser pointers are widely available and anyone with ten dollars may purchase one from a local retailer. Regardless of the numerous warning labels attached to lasers, irresponsible parents keep insisting on giving lasers to their children as a birthday present. A laser does not need to be directly pointed at a person to be harmful. If it is pointed at a reflective surface such as a mirror, then it will yield equal effects to the human eye. The human skin, on the othe part, may also be damaged if subject to a laser. Though the eye is much weaker because it does not have a barrier of dead cells like the skin does, the latter may be seriously affected if regular safety rules are not followed.

The ocular damage a person receives from being exposed to laser light depends on numerous factors. Some people have a higher natural resistance against lasers, most notoriously, those with a dark iris. Though this is useless if the laser is actually pointed "inside the eye", a person with a dark iris is less likely to develop certain eye conditions than a light-eyed person. However, the most important factor is the actual laser beam's wavelength and power.