# Could a super-bright light cause blindness?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-super-bright-light-cause-blindness/351419>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 5, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-super-bright-light-cause-blindness/351419 "2006-04-05T15:57:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-super-bright-light-cause-blindness/351419/1 "2006-04-05T15:57:09Z")

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Actually now it can:

[http://www.fosterfreeman.co.uk/products/forensic-ls/quaser2000-30/quaser2000-30.html](http://www.fosterfreeman.co.uk/products/forensic-ls/quaser2000-30/quaser2000-30.html)

The quaser can cause permanent blindness if viewed directly without protection. It can even cause retina damage simply from a reflection off plain white paper.

:eek:

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**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-super-bright-light-cause-blindness/351419/2 "2006-04-05T21:47:30Z")

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Aren’t lasers “super-bright light”? 😕

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-super-bright-light-cause-blindness/351419/3 "2006-04-05T22:17:10Z")

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Is this related to a column?

The classic joke warning on lasers: [Do not look at laser with remaining eye.](http://www.cafepress.com/fbod.36171373)

Otherwise, looking at welding “flash” can cause visual impairment ranging from “seeing spots” for a while on up to loss of color vision(true color-blindness) and loss of all vision (blindness). [Current thread on welding and eyes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=364797)

Being outside on a sunny day after a snowfall, especially at high altitudes, can also lead to being [snow-blind](http://www.answers.com/snow-blind&r=67) - happily, the blindness goes away in a few days.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-super-bright-light-cause-blindness/351419/4 "2006-04-05T22:18:51Z")

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A link to the column you’re commenting on is appreciated. This is the one: [Do crystals have special powers? Could a super-bright light cause blindness?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_078.html)