We all like to present children gifts that make them curious, provide lots of fun and are something unique and scientific. The pocket laser is one of those examples; at least, we used to think they were.
These red pointing lasers are one gadget children love playing with, but should adults worry when they see young people pointing these slim instruments at just about anything or anyone?
Yes, according to the experts who are now warning the government to keep these pocket lasers out of the hands of children and teens. Some pointing lasers have not been labeled accurately about their strength and can cause damage.
The New England Journal of Medicine advises parents, that if the laser pointer you’re planning to give your child can burn a hole in paper, then it’s too powerful as a toy.
A super powered laser pointer can produce immediate and severe retinal injury. Even blindness can occur, as one mother discovered. Sadly, the damage had been done, and this teenager from Tasmania recently lost 75 percent of his eyesight after the pointer was shined directly in his eye.
The young man’s eyesight got blurry; he felt no pain, but the results are permanent. Eye specialists claim that because the burn occurred along the macular region of the eye, he became blinded.
This is an ugly scenario, especially with holidays around the corner. No parent would ever intentionally harm their child with a toy gift, but unfortunately, these pocket lasers can be bad news.
