Laser Pointer Safety
Laser pointers have been getting more and more attention in the press and aroused some public concern over the last few years. As a consumer product, laser pointers are designed to be safe when used for their intended purpose. Unfortunately, however, the laser pointer can easily be misused. BE SAFE 1. Do not point yourlaser pen at any person or animal, especially if it is above 5 mW. The eye can take up to 30 minutes to recover from light exposure damage to the eye (such as the "snowball" created by a camera flash). Direct eye exposure to the powerful laser pointer can blind people or animals permanently within seconds. 2. Do not try to burn things or start fires with a laser. A fire is harder to put out than to start. 3. Do not point thegreen laser pointer at an aircraft. A laser can be powerful enough to blind someone even at great distance. HAVE FUN 1. Star gaze. A laser pointer, especially agreen laser pen is ideal for pointing out celestial objects, and also works for aligning telescopes and for astrophotography. Click here for star gazing pointers. 2. Use your laser pointer as a presenter. Use it to direct a groups' attention to a specific piece of information and ensure that your message reaches them correctly. 3. Tease your cat or dog. A cat (or dog) will chase a dot around the floor for hours on end. This toy will even give your pet a feeling of satisfaction after the "hunt" even though your pet cannot catch the dot. 4. Play laser tag. (This requires specialized, sturdy electronics, and usually requires computing power and unique software for scoring. There are many softwares for you to use even if you have limited programming skills.) 5. Try laser dancing. Point the laser pointer at a crystal, which will produce countless amazing laser beams for dancing in. (Be safe: remind dancers not to look directly at the reflected laser beams and only use a low mW laser pointer such as laser pointer 100mw.) In summary, laser pointers. are helpful tools but they must be used responsibly. Common sense dictates that users should never direct a laser pointer beam at another person. And lasers with power over 5 mW should not be used as pointers.