Public recall detail

Hand-held Lasers or Laser Pointers May Cause Serious Vision Damage If Used Improperly

medium
Recall Safety notice
Quick summary

Quick summary: Hand-held Lasers or Laser Pointers May Cause Serious Vision Damage If Used Improperly .

Recommended action

Recommended action: compare your product with the official notice and follow the instructions published by the official source.

Recall details

Quick summary: Hand-held Lasers or Laser Pointers May Cause Serious Vision Damage If Used Improperly .

Official details

Affected product details

Structured information extracted from the official recall notice. Confirm the identifiers and instructions in the original notice.

Brand

Issue

Health Canada is warning Canadians about the dangers of misusing hand-held lasers or laser pointers. Their high-intensity light beams could pose a threat to the unprotected eye. Looking directly into a beam from a laser for even a fraction of a second could cause permanent eye damage, depending on the power of the beam. Damage levels will increase if the laser beam is projected through a piece of optical equipment, like a telescope or binoculars. In these situations, the laser beam could actually burn a tiny spot, or cut open a blood vessel, on the retina at the back of the eye. In a worst-case scenario, the person could go blind.

What you should do

  • When buying a laser pointer, choose one that has a clear warning on the label.
  • Carefully read and follow all manufacturers' instructions on the product packaging.
  • Never point a laser beam at anyone, and never look directly into the beam yourself.
  • Never aim a laser pointer at surfaces that would reflect the light back, like mirrors or mirrored surfaces.
  • Never leave a laser pointer within the reach of children.
Additional official information
Background{"text":"Laser technology was first developed in the 1960s. Since then, lasers have been incorporated into many applications we use today in our everyday lives. Laser technology is used in complex systems like aerospace technology, medical and scientific equipment, as well as in many common systems like office printers, CD and DVD players, rock concert light shows and laser pointers. With scientific advances, more powerful laser pointers are now being engineered. This technology, which is readily accessible to the public, should be used with care. A simple hand-held laser pointer can be more than a million times brighter than the average 100-watt light bulb in your home. Consumers should look for the classification of the laser on the label. Manufacturers often classify their laser products using an international standard, such as the European International Electrochemical Commission standard IEC 60825-1, according to the potential threat the laser poses to an individual. Important to note Commonly used laser pointers should be limited to the IEC standard classification of Class 3R or less. Handheld lasers designated as Classes 3B and 4 should not be used as laser pointers or in any other application unless operated by individuals who have been professionally trained in laser safety."}
Companies
Audiences

Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. SafetyPulse is independent of the Government of Canada.

Official source Monitor products Back to recalls

Starting...

Related recalls

Similar recalls and safety notices.

Loading related recalls...