DVD ROM Problem

My buddy has a Toshiba DVD ROM drive Model SD-m1212

When the unit was new, it would eject in a heartbeat. Now that it is almost a year old, considerable time passes between the eject being pushed, and then tray actually ejecting. (11 seconds or more, and getting longer)
It only does this with a disc inside, and it will eject immediately is it is empty.

Any guesses?

Dirty disk or dirty laser.