That's a very interesting and worrying report.
Up at ~Watt powers and with a telescope, and close to the source, then it would become an issue. If people are doing this close enough and with enough power to cause medically-verified injuries, then it's a different question, and I think it moves the offense to unavoidable charges of "attempted murder".
Your "stripe" afterimage indicates a high power as your eye automatically tracks to a bright source.