Hello!
Just as usual people have such an ignorance... I too have serious problems since I was struck in my eyes by laserscanners cl. 2 ev. (not probable) cl. 1. Reduced sharpness and increadibly hyper sensitive to light. Still have those problem now over 2 years later. That have more or less destroyed great parts of my life. Regreatably the problem is increased everytime I get laser in the eyes from these laserscanners people continue to wave around with in stores. There are insanely amount of people now that are hurt (by various types of lasers) and if you have problems after the exposure of that laserscanner you probably like everyone else feeling problem, have been hurt!
I have contacted manifacturers of lasers two times now, wanting answer to the question about the current societal situation without any answer from any part. When the rule of legislation passed here in Sweden about licencing cl. 3 laser (pointers) 1 jan 2014 companies (according to a scientist I spoke with from Sweden) turned boxes upside down and gave away the pointers to the "finders keepers", expressing their view on the subject according to the latter. Some of these companies seems to care nothing for human health related to Sweden at least.
Just because eye doctors year in and year out say to all of us with serious problems in life that we arn´t hurt, some sitting crying of the pain infront of them, seem to mean no more than that the doctors themselves lacking serious amounts of comeptence in the area. The issue about competence has already been acknowledged by an authority among eye doctors here in Sweden about a year ago that raised the alarm nation wide. Some others, some doctors others not, have the same thesis or at least insinuation!
The problem is firstly that according to the Swedish counterpart of boards controling laser issues, that business producing lasers themselves have done those lists of classifications. When talking to scientist checking the science behind the tests bars conducted I really argued some via the telephone down on their backs for not including absolute sceintifical facts readily falsifying big parts of their whole thesis.
Be aware of the lasers and second above serious lack of insight in the whole subject you just read above EVERY TIME! Check and re check and you receave an totally other truth of the subject!
When I accidentally look at barcode scanners, that are everywhere in New York, I usually have big floaters in my eyes and reduced vision for several days. I try to say to sales people, that it is dangerous to eyes to point barcode scanners to people, but they seems do not care.
Hello!
Just as usual people have such an ignorance... I too have serious problems since I was struck in my eyes by laserscanners cl. 2 ev. (not probable) cl. 1. Reduced sharpness and increadibly hyper sensitive to light. Still have those problem now over 2 years later. That have more or less destroyed great parts of my life. Regreatably the problem is increased everytime I get laser in the eyes from these laserscanners people continue to wave around with in stores. There are insanely amount of people now that are hurt (by various types of lasers) and if you have problems after the exposure of that laserscanner you probably like everyone else feeling problem, have been hurt!
I have contacted manifacturers of lasers two times now, wanting answer to the question about the current societal situation without any answer from any part. When the rule of legislation passed here in Sweden about licencing cl. 3 laser (pointers) 1 jan 2014 companies (according to a scientist I spoke with from Sweden) turned boxes upside down and gave away the pointers to the "finders keepers", expressing their view on the subject according to the latter. Some of these companies seems to care nothing for human health related to Sweden at least.
Just because eye doctors year in and year out say to all of us with serious problems in life that we arn´t hurt, some sitting crying of the pain infront of them, seem to mean no more than that the doctors themselves lacking serious amounts of comeptence in the area. The issue about competence has already been acknowledged by an authority among eye doctors here in Sweden about a year ago that raised the alarm nation wide. Some others, some doctors others not, have the same thesis or at least insinuation!
The problem is firstly that according to the Swedish counterpart of boards controling laser issues, that business producing lasers themselves have done those lists of classifications. When talking to scientists checking the science behind the tests bars conducted I really argued some via the telephone down on their backs for not including absolute sceintifical facts readily falsifying big parts of their whole thesis.
Be aware of the lasers and second above serious lack of insight in the whole subject you just read above EVERY TIME! Check and re check and you receave an totally other truth of the subject!
You are smart to be aware that lasers of various types can cause vision loss. The good news for you is that barcode scanners are designed not to cause damage to the eyes if there is 'incidental' exposure, like you received.
Here is a link to an FDA website listing various classes of lasers and their relative danger. Barcode scanners are listed as an FDA Class II which is described as "Hazard increases when viewed directly for long periods of time. Hazard increases if viewed with optical aids."
It sounds like you should be ok since you looked away immediately.
http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/LaserProductsandInstruments/ucm116362.htm
As Dr. Hagan says, you should be fine, but go to an ophthalmologist if you have lingering pain or vision problems.
I want to take this opportunity to mention one related thing - unlike retail barcode scanners, laser pointers DO have the ability to cause lasting eye damage. Laser pointers have become more powerful and cheaper in the past few years, and now are common in office and educational settings. Some parents let their kids play with them But people probably don't realize that the pointers CAN cause lasting retina damage if misused.
For anyone who thinks a laser ordered off the Internet or bought from an office supply store is safe to play around with, look at the retina photos in these articles from the NYTimes and the NEJM:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/health/01laser.html?_r=0
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1005818
Green lasers are particularly dangerous because certain cells on the retina absorb green light wavelengths very efficiently. But both red and green laser pointers can cause damage to the retina and vision, and some of that damage can be permanent.
The barcode laser is very unlikely to have adverse affect on your eye. Of more concern are much more powerful industrial land medical laser.
If your eye continues to be a problem see an Eye MD
JCH MD