Laser pointer burns hole in 9-year-old boy's eye

[Darwin]

A 9-year-old boy in Greece permanently damaged his left eye by
staring into a laser pointer’s green beam.

An examination revealed a large hole in his macula — the part of
the retina that enables clear vision of close objects including
faces and words.

The hole formed after he repeatedly gazed into the laser beam,
according to a case report from The New England Journal of
Medicine.

The surgery required to treat macular holes carries the near
certain risk of cataract formation, which causes blurry vision,
Dr. Sofia Androudi told CNN.

Still, surgery would not have restored the boy’s vision, as the
eye nerves that are supposed to absorb light were completely
destroyed, Androudi said, CNN reported.

Laser beams are so powerful that they can convert to heat and
cause burns that leave scar tissue, doctors said.

The sale of laser pointers with more than 5 milliwatts of power
is restricted in the U.S., however the devices are still
obtainable.

The victim’s father reportedly purchased the laser pointer as a
toy from a street vendor.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-news-laser-burns-retina-
20180621-story.html

[Phil Hobbs]

Post by Darwin
A 9-year-old boy in Greece permanently damaged his left eye by
staring into a laser pointer’s green beam.
An examination revealed a large hole in his macula — the part of
the retina that enables clear vision of close objects including
faces and words.
The hole formed after he repeatedly gazed into the laser beam,
according to a case report from The New England Journal of
Medicine.
The surgery required to treat macular holes carries the near
certain risk of cataract formation, which causes blurry vision,
Dr. Sofia Androudi told CNN.
Still, surgery would not have restored the boy’s vision, as the
eye nerves that are supposed to absorb light were completely
destroyed, Androudi said, CNN reported.
Laser beams are so powerful that they can convert to heat and
cause burns that leave scar tissue, doctors said.
The sale of laser pointers with more than 5 milliwatts of power
is restricted in the U.S., however the devices are still
obtainable.
The victim’s father reportedly purchased the laser pointer as a
toy from a street vendor.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-news-laser-burns-retina-
20180621-story.html

Yah, from your affiliation it's no surprise that you express no sympathy
for the poor kid.