Remember to wear sunglasses!

[gpn01]

In fact sunglasses probably won't help when someone shines a laser into the cockpit....

BBC NEWS | England | Merseyside | Jail for helicopter laser prank (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7475530.stm)

Let's hope that this sucessful prosecution will reduce the risk of copycats from trying the idea out. Believe the military have used ground-based lasers to blind the opposition previously but I didn't realise that it could be done with such a low power device.

[jabberwok]

Most of the small laser pens kicking around are low powered devices of around 5mW and wouldn't have this effect. The pen he was using may have been a Class 3 laser of 30mW (or greater) which are definitely not nice things in the wrong hands. Bad news is that they can be got for less than 20 quid from er... that well known online site..

[vihai]

I have a 200 mW green laser in my hands right now, it is poweful enough to light matches, burn black tape sting the skin, etc.. etc.., and harm people's sight at hundred of meters of distance.

It is well able to temporarily blind people at kilometers of distance.

Bought on eBay for less than 150€.

Yes, bad things may happen in the wrong hands...

(and no, sunglasses will help, but will not fix the problem)

[bigfoot01]

...with your 200mw laser?