Eye burn and hospitalization of a 15 year old after playing with a laser pointer

The boy came to the Emergency Room at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center during the night, between Friday and Saturday, "The main complaint was that the boy was seeing 'red' in his right eye," said Dr. Maron Harish, who was the physician on duty at the Ophthalmology Department, and who admitted and examined the boy. "He told us that he and his friends played with a device that emitted a green laser beam. At one point, the device, which was purchased overseas, was evidently pointed at his eyes. According to him, at that very moment, his vision became blurry and he started seeing red spots in his right eye." His parents rushed him to the Emergency Room at Hillel Yaffe, where he was examined using special equipment. The test confirmed the diagnosis of bleeding and injury to central vision caused by a burn from the laser pointer.

The teen was hospitalized for observation and for further testing. He was also treated with steroids. The Ophthalmology Department hopes that the bleeding will be absorbed quickly and that the damage to the eye is minor.

Dr. Beatrice Tiosano, Director of Hillel Yaffe's Ophthalmology Department said, "With laser technology there is an inherent risk of burns. Exposure of the eye is comparable to immediate, quick and close range exposure to the sun's rays - with corresponding harm to the eye. Even if the power output of the laser device is not high, the direct encounter between the light produced by the laser pointer and the eye results in a burn. My recommendation is - don't use them - not as a game and not for anything else." 

The laser pointer that caused the injury