Swiss retinal burn

[mixedgas]

FROM MSNBC:

Found this link this morning at LPF:



150 milliwatt laser pointer injury, SWISS 15 YEAR OLD
A little more one burned spot diameter to the left and he would have hit the macula, and NO vision would remain in the eye. Was degraded to 20-50, but after some treatment he is at 20-25 according to MSNBC. I imagine his vision will have some very unique degradations for life. "Treatment" was direct injection to the retina with a needle, which the mere thought of, makes me shudder in fear.

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT I WILL SAY IT AGAIN:

BE CAREFUL FOLKS!

Remember, with laser shows, you are your brother's keeper. Not just your eyes are at risk!

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/?GT1=43001

[dave]

Ouucchhhhhhh! Imagine if that was with one of the super 445nm pointers

[Jem]

Interesting article Steve, and a reality check for everyone involved with lasers!

Interestingly enough i've just been reading some information on the very latest ultra-wide digital retinal imaging systems. The information landed on my desk this morning. These systems are getting better all the time and the prices are much more reasonable than they used to be.

I suspect that within 5 years most high street Optometrists will have these systems in their Practices. It will be interesting to see whether the amount of laser related injuries that get reported increases as the use of these systems increases. These new systems are capable of scanning to 200 degrees covering ~80% of the retina. Some traditional imaging systems are only capable of covering 30%.

Cheers

Jem

[flecom]

It will be interesting to see whether the amount of laser related injuries that get reported increases as the use of these systems increases.

I for one rather not know lol

[ElektroFreak]

Me either LOL!! Many of the injuries discovered by such a system will undoubtedly be the kind that the person could have gone their entire life without ever noticing had it not been pointed out. So I ask, if for whatever reason you have some small damage that you NEVER notice or that never causes you trouble seeing at all throughout your entire life, does it matter?

[-bart-]

Me either LOL!! Many of the injuries discovered by such a system will undoubtedly be the kind that the person could have gone their entire life without ever noticing had it not been pointed out. So I ask, if for whatever reason you have some small damage that you NEVER notice or that never causes you trouble seeing at all throughout your entire life, does it matter?

If a tree falls in a forest without anybody noticing it, would it still make a sound ?

So I ask, if for whatever reason you have some money stolen that you NEVER notice or that never causes you trouble at all throughout your entire life, would it still be theft ?

[ElektroFreak]

Yes on both counts, but if someone stole money from me and I never, ever noticed, does it MATTER to me? Not in my opinion..

that's not a license to steal, and I'm not saying it's OK to steal from someone who would never notice, but it still obviously wouldn't matter to me, otherwise I would notice it.

If a tree fell in the woods and made a loud noise, does the noise matter to me? Again, not in my opinion...

of course these are simply opinions.

Of course it's far, far better to be 100% safe to avoid ANY damage, no matter how small, but to me, if I had a retinal injury (or any injury for that matter) that causes me no trouble whatsoever, I could care less about it. In fact, I'd rather not know.

[flecom]

If a tree falls in a forest without anybody noticing it, would it still make a sound ?

I still wouldn't care?

[allthatwhichis]

If a tree falls in a forest without anybody noticing it, would it still make a sound ?

Yes; air is being moved and sound is only a change in air pressure...

[mixedgas]

So I ask, if for whatever reason you have some money stolen that you NEVER notice or that never causes you trouble at all throughout your entire life, would it still be theft ?[/QUOTE]

That depends, was it enough to buy a new Pangolin? Or a charity auction date with Jessica Alba? If so, I would want to know.

Steve