Wired: An American solider was blinded in one eye and three others required medical evacuation out of Iraq in a series of laser "friendly fire" incidents, the US military has disclosed. These injuries could be the result of the misuse of green laser dazzlers — and because the lasers being used are dangerous.
Since November 2008, a single unit in Iraq "has experienced 12 green laser incidents involving 14 soldiers and varying degrees of injury. Three soldiers required medical evacuation out of Iraq and one soldier is now blind in one eye," writes Sgt. Crystal Reidy, from the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), or ESC.
These lasers can cause death through retinal and sub-retinal tissue burns. Light sufficiently intense enough to cause blindness can also cause blot clots and hemoraging within the eye tissue and these effects alone can cause blood loss to the brain, gangrene, and a whole host of other life threatening disorders.
I am all for the speed of light lethality of lasers being developed such as the U.S. Army’s High Energy Tactical Laser which can melt holes through armored vehicles and maintain its position on the same spot even for moving targets and even when fired from gunships because of CNC aiming systems.
The U.S. Airforce is developing the COIL Laser system which is being designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in their boost phase by pure beam energy alone. The planes that will carry the lasers are 747s.
In short, laser light offers speed of light lethality but we must be careful with its misuse. Blinding our own troops is not a good idea even though it is done unintentionally.
Also, such systems should not be used to permanently injure the eyes of enemy combatants. The ethical and financial burden for caring for blind veterans is not something I wish on any country, including our opponents.