# Will my optical mouse give me cancer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015 "2003-08-09T13:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/1 "2003-08-09T13:13:42Z")
Yeah, so. I have this optical mouse, which a I love, seeing as how I can use it on pretty much any surface. Sometimes when I’m feeling too lazy to actually sit up straight, I recline in my chair while surfing the internet or reading these boards and use my knee or arm of my chair with the mouse. But something about being exposed to oddly sensitive red lights is vaugly disconcerting. So am I in any danger? Is my leg going to fall off? Assuage me! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/2 "2003-08-09T13:37:10Z")
No. Red light has a _much_ longer wavelength than UV. It is incapable of causing any damage. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/3 "2003-08-09T13:43:08Z")
I’m sure that optical mice will give you cancer eventually, if you eat enough of them. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/4 "2003-08-09T13:49:05Z")
No the mouse is fine. You need to worry more about sitting on your rear end for hours at a time eating sandwiches, chicken pot pies and ice cream while your arteries clog and your ass gets fatter. If it keeps up… well you might have to buy a new wider chair to accomodate your gigantic bulk while you post. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/5 "2003-08-09T13:57:50Z")
The light source on an optical mouse is a red LED. I can’t imagine a light source safer than that. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/6 "2003-08-09T14:09:52Z")
I use an optical mouse. I just had six skin cancers removed. Beware. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/7 "2003-08-09T17:59:32Z")
My friend had a skin cancer removed last summer and he’s in law school. Law School gives you cancer! ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/8 "2003-08-09T18:54:46Z")
**scr4** is right. If your mouse is gonna give you cancer, watch out for your HD light, VCR and clock-radio. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/9 "2003-08-09T19:01:15Z")
I don’t have skin cancer, but a my gf had a benign melanoma removed over a year ago. I give you cancer! And in Soviet Russia, cancer gives you to me! Bwah-hah-hah-hah-hah… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/10 "2003-08-09T20:42:50Z")
I have an optical mouse that has a blue LED (for effect only) in the top shell - this is right under my palm when I use it. Now I think I’m right in saying that blue LEDs do emit some ultraviolet; am I at risk? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/11 "2003-08-09T21:14:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*Now I think I’m right in saying that blue LEDs do emit some ultraviolet; am I at risk? \*\* Very very little. And what there is of it is longwave near-UV which isn’t nearly as damaging as the shortwave UV you’re exposed to from sunlight. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-optical-mouse-give-me-cancer/194015/12 "2003-08-09T21:30:14Z")
Only if it takes up smoking cigarettes while you’re in the room.