Clearly, reports of airline and helicopter pilots sustaining eye injuries from laser pointers are nonsense. On the other hand, anyone can purchase a more powerful scientific laser that is potentially injurious at a considerable distance. Fortunately, more powerful lasers are much more expensive than pointers and are not designed to be portable. Press reports of corneal injuries from laser pointers are misleading. There is no significant absorption of visible laser light in the cornea, so there is no potential for corneal trauma.
People startled by laser exposures occasionally do rub their eyes and scratch their cornea.
The press has erroneously attributed painful vision loss from a corneal abrasion to laser pointer exposure rather than a victim's response to it. Laser pointers are valuable tools for adult speakers. They should not be sold as toys to children. They should be kept away from infants. Hopefully laser pointers will soon follow this route back to the lecture hall.