The threat is real, and is preventable. There needs to be a more powerful response when things like this occur.
An accident is an accident, but the intentional pointing of a laser or bright light into an aviation cockpit not only endangers the pilot but numerous people, both on and above the ground.
I had a laser pointer run across my eye from across the room once; thankfully there was no permanent damage, but my eye did tear up and burned for over a month before it healed itself.