Mischief and kids go hand
in hand at times. For example, when digital watches became inexpensive
enough for every school-aged child to have one, kids would use the glass
faces to shine patches of light at other students, teachers and objects.
Kids will be kids of
course, and young people are doing the same thing in schools across the
country today using laser pointers. The difference is laser light from
pointers poses a much greater risk to the eye than the relatively
primitive method used by children in days past. The energy a pointer can
direct into the eye is many times brighter than staring directly at the
Use and Misuse of
Commercial laser pointers
are most commonly designed to assist speakers when giving lectures or
business presentations. A high-tech alternative to the retractable,
metal pointer, the laser pointer beam will produce a small dot of light
on whatever object at which it is aimed. It can draw an audience’s
attention to a particular key point in a slide show.
Pointers are also used
for other purposes such as the aligning of other lasers, laying pipes in
construction, and as aiming devices for firearms.
Much like the digital
watches about 15 years ago, laser pointers have become very affordable
recently due to new developments in laser technology. They are widely
available at electronic stores, novelty shops, through mail order
catalogs and by numerous other sources. As inexpensive as $20 or even
less, they are in the price range of other electronic toys and are being
treated as such by many parents and children. One woman wrote the Laser
Institute of America describing how other mothers she knew bought laser
pointers for their elementary-aged children so they could imitate Luke
Skywalker and Darth Vader and duel with them.
Laser pointers are not
toys! This lesson was brought home to a small school district in
Wisconsin in the fall of 1996. A 16-year-old girl was illuminated in the
eye from the beams of laser pointers used as pranks. She experienced two
momentary exposures, one while performing a pom pom routine and again
while walking down a hallway. She reported the incidents to her parents,
adding that after the first exposure, everything looked green; after the
second, she could temporarily not see out of her right eye.
While this is one of the
most dramatic examples to date, there are numerous reports of similar,
momentary exposures across the U.S. and the U.K. While it seems clear
such brief exposures can cause only brief effects, there is no reason to
ever shine a pointer towards someone. The Laser Institute of America and
the American Academy of Ophthalmology have also received reports of
people exposed for longer amounts of time, including two verified
retinal injuries caused by intentionally staring into pointers. For more
information about these incidents, AAO’s web site,
www.eyenet.org, should be consulted.
Laser Pointer Tips:
Never shine a
laser pointer at anyone. Laser pointers are designed to
illustrate inanimate objects.
Do not allow
minors to use a pointer unsupervised.
Laser pointers are not toys.
Do not point
a laser pointer at mirror-like surfaces. A reflected beam
can act like a direct beam on the eye.
Be aware of
irresponsible uses of pointers so the psychological effect
will be minimized if you are illuminated by one.
purchase a laser pointer if it does not have a caution or
danger sticker on it identifying its class. Report
suspicious devices to the FDA.
Laser experts agree that
laser pointers should not be used to pull pranks. School children are
not the only ones finding mischievous uses for laser pointers. A Florida
man paid the price for such a prank when he was arrested for scanning
the ground near an off-duty police officer. The Laser Institute of
America has also received reports of individuals shining laser pointers
at athletes during sporting events and at people as they are driving.
These types of incidents
have started to spur government action. In November of 1997, the U.K.
banned a certain class of higher-powered pointer from sale. In December,
1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its warning against
allowing juveniles to use them (see below).
The FDA requires
manufacturers to place a warning on pointers, telling users not to look
into the beam. These warnings are small and easy to ignore, however, as
evidenced in widespread misuse of the devices.
Safety professionals are
especially concerned about secondary effects, those experienced during
critical activities such as driving down a busy highway. If the driver
lost control due to either a split second visual effect or a
psychological effect (startle or panic), the consequences could be dire.
There are reports of pilots who have had to look away or hand control of
a landing airplane over to a co-pilot after similar incidents from more
powerful light show lasers.
Laser experts agree that
transient visual effects are possible and should be addressed. These
effects are called glare, flash blindness, and afterimage. While there
are slight differences in the definitions scientists use for these
terms, they all refer to some vision disruption that lasts only a few
seconds or minutes. The Laser Institute of America has received one
report where exposure to a laser pointer startled a bus driver resulting
in a traffic accident.
People often have strong
psychological reactions to being illuminated with a laser beam. One
researcher found that at times people receive eye injuries, not from the
beam itself, but by a strong response that includes vigorously rubbing
or sticking their fingers in their eye.
Laser pointers are making
their way into the public consciousness. Unfortunately, in one of the
last episodes of the popular TV series ?Seinfeld? in May, 1998, the
lovable neurotic George is pursued through the streets of New York by a
laser pointer-wielding prankster.
The Laser Institute of
America feels that further regulation of laser pointers should now be
considered. One viable option is to further limit the power that laser
pointers can emit.
Education is also key. By
informing parents, teachers and society at large about the potential
hazards laser pointers present, any risks posed by them can be
minimized, and the devices can continue to be used properly and safely,
as primarily intended.
hopes that through its efforts, and those of its members and affiliated
organizations, inappropriate and irresponsible uses of laser pointers