Air Force to issue protective eyewear as laser pointer incidents surge
By Rachel S. Cohen
Nov 22, 05:36 PM
The U.S. Air Force will roll out tens of thousands of specialized spectacles to airmen around the globe to protect their eyes from lasers and shrapnel.
The gear aims to limit the potential risk to pilots and other aircrew amid a recent spike in lasing incidents. It’s also the first time that Air Force-issued eyewear is designed to block lasers as well as ballistic threats, the service said Sunday.
“Getting lasered without having proper protection could not only prevent the pilot from flying and landing an aircraft safely, but it could also cost them their career,” Capt. Pete Coats, who leads the eyewear initiative at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, said in the release.
When a laser pointer’s beam hits an aircraft’s windshield or an eyeball itself, the light can cause flash blindness that is particularly dangerous for troops that are taking off or preparing to land, according to the Air Force Safety Center. Preventing those disruptions can save lives in the air and on the ground.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-air-force/2023/11/22/air-force-to-issue-protective-eyewear-as-laser-pointer-incidents-surge/
