[Medical Q&A] It’s scary, can a laser pen have such great “lethal power”?

[Medical Q&A] It’s scary, can a laser pen have such great “lethal power”?

Author: Song Run, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Suzhou University

Reviewer: Feng Kehong, Chief Physician, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University

Laser pointers are commonly known as "laser pens" and are usually used to project light spots or point to objects during work reports, teaching, and tour guides. Monochromatic lasers of different wavelengths are absorbed by different tissues due to photothermal or photochemical effects, which can cause carbonization, gasification, and denaturation of tissues, resulting in local burns and coagulative injuries.

Laser pens can be accurate to micron level and are often used in laser cutting, welding, drawing, etc. They can also be used for navigation, long-distance indication, search and rescue, etc. But at the same time, the "lethality" of laser pens is also quite extraordinary. If used improperly, direct exposure to the eyes can cause damage to the eyes and even lead to blindness!

So, how does a laser pen affect vision? Laser pens can easily cause damage to the macular area.

Functional damage, in severe cases may cause blindness. The macula is located in the center of the retina and is the most sensitive area for vision. The macula has dense retinal pigments and is easily absorbed by the laser energy, thus being damaged by the laser thermal radiation. Any damage involving the macula will cause a significant decrease in central vision, dark and distorted vision, etc.

The harm of laser pens to the eyes is mainly caused by its thermal effect. The laser passes through the cornea to reach the retina at the fundus. The outermost pigment epithelium of the retina contains more melanin, which has a significant absorption effect on the laser. If a certain amount of heat is generated, it will burn the retina and cause vision loss. Many laser pens sold on the market belong to Class 3B, with a power of more than 5mW. If the laser is directly shot into the eye, it will be absorbed by the pigment epithelium of the fovea. Therefore, some high-power laser pens can even cause macular holes.

<<:  Baby's Growth: A Wonderful Journey of Scientific Feeding

>>:  [Medical Q&A] What kind of serious harm can tiny dust mites cause?

Recommend

Is it normal to have your period again after ten days?

Every woman has a few days of discomfort every mo...

What to do if you lose a lot of hair after giving birth

For those mothers who suffer from severe hair los...

How long after abortion can I use the pills?

Key reminder: After the abortion, the bleeding in...

I feel like my period is coming but it's not coming

Menstruation, or to put it in a more popular way,...

How to do flexibility yoga

Yoga is an imported health-care exercise. Because...

Why haven't I gotten pregnant after having sex for several months?

Generally, young couples, in their newlywed years...

What is the best way to treat moderate cervical erosion?

With the continuous improvement of material life,...

How long after giving birth should I use a belly belt?

Belly belts are very common, but there is a metho...

Can pregnant women eat fish roe?

Can a mother eat fish roe? We know that a mother&...

Will I get pregnant if I don't have my period after an abortion?

We also call abortion artificial miscarriage. The...

Every time after my period, my vagina smells bad

When women are menstruating, they must pay attent...

Are healthy snacks making you fatter? Here are the top ten "confusing snacks"

The weather is getting colder recently. Do you fe...