Lasers aimed at 6 planes landing in NYC

MEREDITH VIEIRA, co-host: We are back now at 7:43 with new concerns over the serious risk of blindness posed by high-powered laser pointers. Pilots are reporting thousands of cases of being tagged and doctors say they are treating kids who have suffered partial blindness after playing with the devices. NBC 's Tom Costello is at Reagan National Airport with more for us. Tom , good morning.

TOM COSTELLO reporting: Hi , Meredith , good morning. We're talking about these types of laser pointers. You can buy them at the store, really powerful versions online. They're used for meetings, they're used for star-gazing, but what looks harmless can, in fact, be quite dangerous. It was in the skies over Los Angeles that this green laser locked onto a Southwest 737 preparing to land at LAX . Soon, a TV and police helicopter were also hit, piercing the cockpit and posing a blinding risk to pilots. When police zeroed in on the address, the suspect was a 14-year-old. He'd been playing with this small hand-held laser pointer . Police pilot Steve Robertson says he's hit by lasers at least once a week. Fifteen years ago, it nearly proved disastrous.

Mr. STEVE ROBERTSON (Glendale, California Police Department): It was instant pain and burning and I was blinded instantly for, oh, it was a good 15 to 20 seconds. But the most memorable part was the pain. I mean, it felt like getting hit in the face with a baseball bat.

COSTELLO: Without his co-pilot, Robertson says he would've crashed. These FAA photos of a cockpit being lit up by a laser show why there's so much concern. In 2010 , pilots reported more than 2800 laser hits, double from the year before. And almost always during the critical moments of take-off and landing. LAX reported the most laser events with 102, followed by Chicago , Phoenix , San Jose , and Las Vegas . FAA Chief Randy Babbitt :

Mr. RANDY BABBITT: These aren't toys. They're -- this is serious when you distract an airplane. Whether it's a commercial aircraft with passengers, a police helicopter , all of these are dangerous, you know, and distracting.

COSTELLO: Because the concentrated light can be brighter than the sun, the FDA regulates laser points to no more than five milliwatts. But far more powerful and dangerous green lasers are sold over the Internet .

Dr. ROBERT JOSEPHBERG (Westchester Medical Center): Let me take your glasses off. I'm going to put a drop in your eye.

COSTELLO: Robert Josephberg is treating a teenager who suffered a temporary blindness after a friend pointed a 50 milliwatt laser straight in his eyes.

Dr. JOSEPHBERG: It's a thermal burn and basically a laser is radiation. And it's so collimated and fine-tuned, it's a pinpoint of light that basically goes right into the eye.

COSTELLO: Back in LA , Sergeant Robertson has regained his sight, but he was hit by a laser again just last week.

Mr. ROBERTSON: It's not a video game. You can't push the reset button. You can't put another quarter in. This is people's lives that it's affecting and could ultimately impact with a crash.

COSTELLO: Pointing a laser at a flight crew can bring you both state and federal charges and prison time. And the FDA has warned about the dangers of pointing lasers at eyes, especially the very powerful illegal lasers sold on

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45196427/ns/travel-news/

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