EYE PROECTION - Do you use it?

[Scott Balboa]

Do you use eye protection when laser engraving, ever? If so, on what? Seems there is a lot of info about how bad it is to look STRAIGHT into the beam (duh?), but what about normal engraving jobs?

Personally I have never done anything other than shy away from staring at the laser on jobs such as glass, where the beam spot is incredibly bright and headache-causing. As I'm sure you can all agree, watching the laser do it's work is sometimes necessary to ensure correct placement, when the vector has cut through the material, etc. My favorite sidekick tool is a small LED pen light I use through the window to illuminate the job when I need to take a peek.

So does anyone have any good information/stories on laser-related eye problems or solutions?

[Tim Bateson]

I originally used a flashlight too. I then installed an adjustable desk lamp mounted behind the laser on the wall. It's perfect for seeing the detail while engraving.

The laser beam is mesmerizing. No eye protection, but I do sometimes wear ear protection when I'm working the laser for long periods of time.

[Scott Balboa]

I vector-cut a few shapes out of a CD today (masked on both sides), which I'd done before, but this time it took a few passes and I watched the process probably 80% of the time. Well a word of advice; DON'T DO WHAT I DID! I got an instant headache, and even though this all went down an hour ago, my brain feels like a hole got burned in it!

[Dan Hintz]

Are you venting properly? I would think fumes would be the more likely cause of the headache, and CD's have some nasty fumes.

[Darren Null]

Watching the beam doesn't do you any good in the long term, I believe...it's similar to -but less severe than- arc welding.

I always wear eye protection when using the machine with the doors open though- the chance of a stray beam is reasonably minimal, but the price to pay is not worth the risk.

[Scott Balboa]

Dan,

Oh yeah, we have great ventilation... I was surprised as well that such a small job on a CD could bring about a headache this bad. You're right that the fumes are horrid, but between the ventilation and common sense I hardly took in a breath that stunk. Must be some kind of ultra-bright reaction between the CD and the laser? Or a wide reflection? The only thing that gives me headaches this bad is glass when engraving.

[Niklas Bjornestal]

Do you use eye protection when laser engraving, ever? If so, on what?

You should only need eye protection if/when you operate the laser with the doors open.

[Robert Ray]

I work with both the small 35W lasers at home, and the 4000W ones at the day job. I always wear safety glasses at work and when I am aligning the laser at home. Mine are good for 190-360nm and 5000-11000nm wavelengths, but really only protect against a flash. There is no protection for a direct beam.

What's good about the CO2 laser is the wavelength is so big, that it attacks the surface of an object where the UV, Deep UV, and X-ray lasers will go deep through a material to do it's damage due to their very small penetrating wavelength.

What's that mean if you get flashed? (Flash = momentary reflection exposure) With a CO2 beam, probably no long term effects if it was fast and indirrect with low power. Uncomfortable and causes a quick flinching reaction.

With the 193nm Argon Flouride lasers I used to work with, you don't feel it immediatly, but you get floaters forever. (Floaters = Burnt Out Pixels, a dark floating spot) Several of my co-workers have them, and they treat it as a rite of passage of a true laser guy, I call them nuts!

Any clear polycarbonate glasses will block the kind of flash you might get from a typical 45W engraver.

With the covers on, you are resonably safe, but remember that bright light you see when your laser is cutting is full spectrum light from the burning material, and is actually more dangerous than the CO2 flash.

[Bill Cunningham]

Dan,

Oh yeah, we have great ventilation... I was surprised as well that such a small job on a CD could bring about a headache this bad. You're right that the fumes are horrid, but between the ventilation and common sense I hardly took in a breath that stunk. Must be some kind of ultra-bright reaction between the CD and the laser? Or a wide reflection? The only thing that gives me headaches this bad is glass when engraving.

If glass and shiny things in the laser give you a headache, you may be hyper sensitive to light flicker. A lot of people have migraines that are triggered by flicker.

As for 'floaters' Most weldors end up with a few. I have one in particular that's been with me for 40+ years. Looks like a hair with a loop in it being projected by a old 8mm projector. It drifts in and out of my vision depending on how tired I am..

[Bob Davis]

It sounds like simply watching a laser on glass (or a myriad of other materials) is a very bad idea. Unfortunately the beam is almost hypnotic in its effect, and although I now avoid watching the laser do its magic I am sure I have accumulated at least several hours gazing at it.

I would have thought that the manufacturers would have been aware of any possible danger from viewing the laser, and would have taken steps to remove the threat if that was the case. On that basis it would appear that the manufacturers are either unaware of a problem or that they believe it is not a significant danger.

So; is it a danger and if so what can be done? Is it worthwhile adding some window-tint to the glass viewing window and just leave a narrow slit of clear for close inspection? Wear sunglasses around the laser? Or is it not really a problem at all?

[Scott Shepherd]

I Looks like a hair with a loop in it being projected by a old 8mm projector. It drifts in and out of my vision depending on how tired I am..

Thanks Bill! I've had some of those for 25 years now. Never knew what they were, but it would certainly line up with the time when I was welding a lot. Safety wasn't always high on the priority list back in those days.

[Robert Ray]

Well, the laser engravers as a whole are Class1 devices, meaning that they are tested save, causing no eye damage if used properly, no interlocks defeated, covers open, etc.

The thing that is NOT tested, is all the materials that are cut. There is a small plasma around whatever is being cut, and that emits bright light. The good thing about bright light is your eye naturally responds to it by closing the pupil down to let less light in when you see a bright light. Different materials emit slightly different wavelengths while being cut. That light is again filtered by the cover.

I have logged many countless hours looking my engravers cutting, and have not yet suffered any ill effects, but it's probably best not to stare at the cutting all the time.

Applying a tint to your engraver's cover might help a bit, but probably not much. If you covered it with a neutral density filter that would help attenuate the light better.

As far as safety glasses go, I whear them when exposes, but the engraver's cover acts as the safety glasses for normal operation.

-Robert

[Bill Cunningham]

Thanks Bill! I've had some of those for 25 years now. Never knew what they were, but it would certainly line up with the time when I was welding a lot. Safety wasn't always high on the priority list back in those days.

Yup!! I used to shoot competitive small bore rifle, and the little floater used to drive me nuts. Anything that was not in the 'X' ring was a scrap target. After holding a steady aim for several minutes before squeeeeezing the trigger, this darn thing used to float in across the peep sight and I'd have to blink and ruin my sighting point.. Finally just sold the rifle and gave up..

And remember:

[Brittany Lorio]

I use my machines to engrave on high density silicone, which is quite obviously a non-reflective material. However, despite our well-ventilated warehouse, appearingly appropiate dust-collection/exhaust methods, and well-lit working area... I go home with a headache almost every single night. Any suggestions on that?? I haven't ever had problems with my eyes, but have often thought it's the frequency at which I am required to stare into the flame created by the laser to ensure placement- that may be causing my pain.

I don't know ya'll... anyone had similiar circumstances?

[joseph zalewski]

Just my 2 cents. On my full time job I run a Fibermark laser most jobs don't envolve watching full time. But some times marking tiny tools and I mean tiny it's a must. Had my share of headaches sometimes I think the pointer it self gets to the eyes. Anyway I found just normal good sunglasses help a lot I have a pair that mounts on my regular glasses.
On my co2 at home they also help alot when doing glass or when it demands that I watch. Other than that best let it go starts on mark sit back start another job or better yet come on and vist for awhile.