In article . com,
wrote:

The letter that one of the members on the laser forum, Skywise,
received from the APSA refers to multiple pilots with retinal burns.
Here's the link to his Web page:

http://www.skywise711.com/lasers/APSA.html


Just for the record, I'm thoroughly familiar with all the technical
evidence and much of the non-technical evidence in one of the cases
mentioned in passing on this web page, involving a U.S. Navy captain who
allegedly suffered eye damage as a result of being lased by a Russian
freighter in the Strait of Juan de Fuca some years ago while he was
photographing the Russian ship from a Canadian military helicopter that
was circling around it. I'm equally thoroughly convinced that he was
not lased by the freighter, in full agreement with the results of a
lengthy and detailed investigation of the incident carried out by the
U.S. Navy, and also the verdict of a civilian jury in a Seattle court in
which he subsequently sued the Russian freight line for the damages he
believes he suffered.

I have little or no knowledge concerning the possible use of
higher-power lasers to cause significant or permanent eye damage in
military conflicts (except to note that, in common with a number of
other potential weapons systems, the military might be inhibited in
fielding such weapons by practical considerations associated with things
like as serious risks of accidental "friendly fire" damage to own side
forces).

As I've noted in an earlier post, however, I've been told by what I
think are reliable sources that there have been at least some instances
of medium-power visible lasers being used for "dazzle" effects on
military pilots in conflict situations. I would also express a
technical opinion that even quite low-power visible lasers, including
red and especially green laser pointers, could produce significant and
potentially dangerous effects on pilots in some limited situations, at
distances which might be in the few thousand foot range.