Laser pointers banned

After injury to student

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo.- A seventh-grader suffered permanent eye damage when a friend shined a laser light pointer into his eye at school. Now, the Kansas City middle school says it will suspend any student who brings one of the pointers to class.

The student at Maple Park Middle School suffered at least partial burn damage to the retina of one eye when a friend shined a laser at his face, said Principle Scott Wilson.

Last week, New York City banned the sale of laser pointers to minors, joining communities that include Chicago Ridge, Ill.; Virginia Beach, VA; Westchester County, NY; and Ocean City, Md.

At least 100 of the laser pointers have been confiscated from Maple Park students so far this school year, and one boy was put on in-school suspension for taking a laser pointer into class, Wilson said.

"We understand that the laser pointers are really popular, but there's just too much potential for harm," Wilson said.

The battery-powered lasers, shaped like a pen or a key chain, were created for use in business presentation. But since their prices drop to as low as $15, they have become popular among children as a high-tech toy.

Some fears that the laser tiny red dots of light could be mistaken for laser sights used on guns and that police could think that they are under attack if they see the laser dots flashed on them.

Any laser can cause a burn to the photoreceptor cells in the eyes retina, similar to damage that can be caused looking directly at the sun, said Dave Fritz, an optometrist with LensCrafters here.

"The beams in theses laser pointers are actually pretty weak, but if prolonged, even for a couple of seconds, they can cause burns," Fritz said.