--- Kim Hyatt <khyatt@smithlayton.com> wrote:
I also wonder about eye damage. Since the maximum output is supposedly the same as for red lights (5ma) how would a green laser be any worse than the red?
They can all be dangerous. While 5mw may seem small, remember that the energy is coherent, meaning a little bit packs a large punch. There are documented cases of brief eye exposure causing temporary vision loss. I am unaware personally of a case of permanent vision loss. But this does raise liability issues. The user of a laser pointer must excercise extreme caution, and be fully aware that they may find themselves at the wrong end of a lawsuit. You might compare the risk with that of solar observing. Use the equipment intelligently, and there won't be any problems. Let it get away from you, or stop paying attention for a moment, and there could be trouble. C. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com