Party Light Show Goes Awry

At a recent outdoor party near Moscow, Russia, many partygoers lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Reuters reports.  Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at a nearby eye clinic, and another 17 registered at a local hospital.

“Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is impossible,” an ophthalmologist said.

Attendees said heavy rains forced organizers to erect massive tents for the all-night dance party, and lasers that normally illuminate upwards into the sky were instead partially refracted into the party goers’ eyes.  The owner of a Moscow laser rental company told Reuters the accidental blindings were due to, “illiteracy on the part of technicians.”  I guess they forgot to fully comprehend the operators manual.