Are Green Lasers Dangerous?

Green laser pointers, while controversial, can be used as essential tools in industries such as astronomy, construction and education. If green lasers are considered dangerous, and in some ways illegal, how are they still able to be made and owned? Before diving into this questions, let’s first answer: 

Are Green Lasers Dangerous?

Green lasers are dangerous when pointed at a human, vehicle or aircraft. Green lasers carry a risk of IR exposure, making them dangerous to the human eye when used incorrectly. But, like anything, if made correctly and used safely green laser pointers are not dangerous.

In addition to their strength, there are a few characteristics that make green laser different from a red or blue laser. Green lasers are the only laser that performs well outdoors. With a range of up to a mile, green laser pointers work best at nighttime and are the overall brightest option.

So, what sets apart a dangerous illegal green laser from a safe legal one? A large factor is the legal milliwatts limit. For a laser to be legal in the United States it must be less than 5mW. 

Keeping the milliwatts of a green laser pointer below 5mW not only makes it legal, but it makes it much safer as well. Another way to make a green laser safe is by adding 100% IR filtration. One of the most dangerous elements of a green laser is that it puts the human eye at risk of IR exposure. Most laser pointer horror stories link back to a laser with no filtration. Adding IR filtration will minimize the risk of eye damage.

Alpec green laser pointers provide 100% IR filtration, with approval from the FDA and the center for radiological health, to give you peace of mind that it is safe to use for presentation and pointing. 

Happy (Safe) Pointing!

Alpec