Beware the Laser!

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:05 pm

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080714/ ... e5c6f.html

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday.

Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.

Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.

"They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them. Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is already impossible," Kommersant quoted a treating ophthalmologist as saying.

Attendees said heavy rains forced organisers to erect massive tents for the all-night dance party, and lasers that normally illuminate upwards into the sky were instead partially refracted into the ravers' eyes.

"I immediately had a spot like when you stare into the sun," rave-attendee Dmitry told Kommersant.

"After three days I decided to go to the hospital. They examined me, asked if I had been at Open Air, and then put me straight in the hospital. I didn't even get to go home and get my stuff," he said.

Cosmic Connection, promoters of the Aquamarine rave, were unreachable and did not list contact numbers on their Web site.

Industry Web site http://www.laserfx.com said focused laser light can cause eye damage almost instantly.

The owner of a Moscow laser rental company told Reuters the accidental blindings were due to "illiteracy on the part of technicians".

"It was partly the rain, but also partly the size of the laser. Somebody set up an extremely powerful laser for such a small space," said Valentin Vasiliev, who said his company did not provide the Aquamarine lasers.

What could go wrong??

James · Post by **James** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:48 am

when I was at uni, I heard a story about some people messing around with a laser. Someone else walked into the room, and as he said later "the scariest thing in my whole life was the sound of my own eye bursting."

play with matches, kids. far safer.

chris · Post by **chris** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:39 am

thanks, i had been having real trouble sourcing the lazer, but these guys are good and cheap!

xx

milk · Post by **milk** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:57 am

fucking hell.... this is why i like the concept of h&s/risk assessments.

permanently fucked vision because some imbeciles didn't understand how dangerous a tech that class of laser is..

Jimmy Bastard · Post by **Jimmy Bastard** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:26 pm

"i'm a lazer baby - so why don't you kill me.'
Beck - Lazer