Eye Danger

[Bob Davis]

Important?
From a number of recent posts it sounds like simply watching a laser on glass (or a myriad of other materials) is a very bad idea. A post from Robert Ray caught my attention:

With the covers on, you are resonably safe, but remember that bright light you see when your laser is cutting is full spectrum light from the burning material, and is actually more dangerous than the CO2 flash.

Unfortunately the beam is almost hypnotic in its effect, and although I now avoid watching the laser do its magic I am sure I have accumulated at least several hours gazing at it.

I would have thought that the manufacturers would have been aware of any possible danger from viewing the laser, and would have taken steps to remove the threat if that was the case. On that basis it would appear that the manufacturers are either unaware of a problem or that they believe it is not a significant danger.

So; is it a danger and if so what can be done? Is it worthwhile adding some window-tint to the glass viewing window and just leave a narrow slit of clear for close inspection? Wear sunglasses around the laser?

Or is it not really a problem at all?

[Rodne Gold]

It's not a problem if you have the laser covers closed. Oviously , one doesnt look into the sun or shine laser pointers into your eyes or look into a camera flash continuously and the same precautions apply to any bright light source including the prolonged viewing of the bright light the laser generates.

[Gary Hair]

that bright light you see when your laser is cutting is full spectrum light from the burning material, and is actually more dangerous than the CO2 flash.

I may be wrong, but from what I understand the acrylic filters out the bad stuff. I have watched my share of laser "light" for the last 3-1/2 years and don't seem to have any ill affects from it - everyone has bright spots in their vision, don't they?????

Gary

[Niklas Bjornestal]

I may be wrong, but from what I understand the acrylic filters out the bad stuff. I have watched my share of laser "light" for the last 3-1/2 years and don't seem to have any ill affects from it - everyone has bright spots in their vision, don't they?????

Gary

From what i have found, acrylic filters UV light below 300nm (simular to ordinary window glass). And it blocks IR light above 2800nm.
I dont know which wavelengths are dangarous to the eye, but i would think that it's not good for the eye to be exposed to to much of the UV/IR spectrum that isnt filtered.

[Joe Pelonio]

Let's face it, if there were danger to watching the laser work, someone suffering the ill effects (or claiming to) would have filed a lawsuit long ago,
they have been in use 20+ years now.

As long as the cover is close (1/4" thick glass on mine) I wouldn't worry about it. As for safety glasses, this is from the Epilog Website Q & A:

"Q: Is the laser safe to operate?
Yes, the laser is completely safe to operate. It is a Class 3A laser, which means that the laser is secured with interlock devices so it will not run with the doors of the system open. No special safety gear is required to run the laser."

[Robert Ray]

I did not mean to scare anyone about the light emitted by the plasma from laser engraving, the point I was trying to make is that the CO2 light itself, is filtered by the engraver's cover, where a lot of the bandwith from the bright plasma can get through.

As far as the light from the cutting material's plasma goes, it is giving off different amounts of many waverlengths depending on the material being engraved.

The laser's cover's are usually > OD 7, ( the recommend rating for CO2 laser safety glasses) and usually only pass wavelengths from 360nm-5000nm which means the really bad stuff is filtered out, leaving the light that the human eye will flinch to if too bright.

Like the sun, you just don't want to stare at it too long, but you eyes will tell you if you are looking at it too long.

-Robert

[Bill Cunningham]