EYING LASER LIGHT

The laser-light shows that have lately been dazzling disco dancers and rock and even classical concertgoers are now being closely watched by a new audience. The Food and Drug Administration's Bureau of Radiological Health has begun sending inspectors to light shows to make sure that FDA safety standards are being met. The bureau recently informed the Blue Oyster Cult, a rock band, that its laser show needed readjusting, and last month it abruptly halted a preview performance of an M.I.T.-sponsored light show scheduled to run all summer on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

The problem is that lasers produce beams of light so intense that if directed or even reflected into the human eye, they can blister and burn the retina, causing instant and permanent damage. To avoid that possibility, the FDA wants light-show operators to use low-powered lasers and to design the shows so that the beams of light are aimed far above the heads of spectators.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.