Could a tracer silencer damage your vision?

[Alestar]

A friend of mine showed me his silencer, that makes fluorecent pellets glow and function as tracer bullets. On the inside, a IRL sensor projected a beam, and when it is broken by the pellet, a blitz flashes and illuminates the whole thing. I saw both the red light from the IR sensor, and the flash. Afterwards I got nervous. I haven't noticed any damage to my vision, but is it possible the IR sensor or the flash could damage your eyes in any way?

[TheGrover]

No more than glancing at a laser pointer, i wouldnt worry. I also wouldnt stare at it

 

I work with powerful consumer lasers occasionally, the radiation is more powerful than an ir lamp, and they dont cause any damage to eyes unless you stare too long at the beam souece.

 

The visible flash us probably a lower power than a good tac-light or club strobe light as well

[Alestar]

But wouldn't the IR sensor be more dangerous than a laser pointer, since there is not blinking refex in the eye for infrared light?

[TheGrover]

But wouldn't the IR sensor be more dangerous than a laser pointer, since there is not blinking refex in the eye for infrared light?

Infrared radiation is less powerful than visible light of the same quantity, and the tracer unit wouldnt use a beam more powerful than the PIR sensors in your home (the white boxes at ceiling level in the corner of the room, hooked up to your alarm)

 

If it was powerful enough to damage eyesight without staring into the beam, the batteries wouldnt last long at all

[jcheeseright]

But wouldn't the IR sensor be more dangerous than a laser pointer, since there is not blinking refex in the eye for infrared light?

 

The IR sensor in a tracer unit is no more powerful than a TV remote control. There's no way at all it can damage your eyes.

 

The flash inside the tracer is less powerful than a cheap camera flash, again, cannot damage your eyes.

[Samurai]

But wouldn't the IR sensor be more dangerous than a laser pointer, since there is not blinking refex in the eye for infrared light?

Yes, it is. If it is an IR laser like the ones in PEQ boxes for night vision, then indeed it can permanently damage your eyes. The IR gate in the silencer is no a laser, that's fine.