A teenager faced the prospect of permanently losing up to 75 percent of their vision after an injury caused by a common household toy — a laser pointer. Eye specialists warned that the powerful concentrated beam from commercially available laser pointers can cause serious and irreversible damage to the retina. In this case, the teen sustained a macular burn after the laser beam directly struck the eye, damaging the light-sensitive cells responsible for central vision. Ophthalmologists have long cautioned that even brief exposure to laser pointer beams can cause permanent retinal damage. The incident renewed calls from medical professionals for stricter regulation of high-powered laser pointers sold to consumers. The American Academy of Ophthalmology has repeatedly warned parents about the dangers these devices pose to children and teenagers, noting that the damage is often painless at the time of exposure, meaning victims may not realize the severity until vision loss becomes apparent.