Narrative:

We departed las on runway 25L bound for san. At approximately 500 ft AGL and at approximately XA00 pm local time, a laser beam of green light struck through the right side window of my cockpit striking my first officer in the right eye and blinding both him and me for approximately 5-10 seconds due to the intensity of the light bean. I immediately notified the las tower controller of the incident and he began to ask us some particulars stating that this has become a recurring problem with the laser show coming from the top of the X hotel in las vegas. First officer did require medical attention and upon examination by his doctor, the laser beam had burned the outer coating of the white area of his eye, also breaking blood vessels accounting for the deep redness of his eye. We were very fortunate, because this could have been a much more serious situation had the laser struck myself as well as the first officer at a more direct angle, severely blinding both of us and endangering the lives of my passenger and crew. During takeoff at las at 400-500 ft, intense green light flashed through right side of cockpit striking first officer in right eye. Due to intensity, night vision was reduced for 5-10 mins in right eye. Vision appeared to recover normally and next morning had red area in white of right eye. Spoke with optometrist and made appointment for examination. Upon examination, beam had burned through outer coating of white of eye and broken blood vessels accounting for red area. No iris or retna damage.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC WAS MOMENTARILY BLINDED BY A GND BASED LASER ON A LAS HOTEL.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED LAS ON RWY 25L BOUND FOR SAN. AT APPROX 500 FT AGL AND AT APPROX XA00 PM LCL TIME, A LASER BEAM OF GREEN LIGHT STRUCK THROUGH THE R SIDE WINDOW OF MY COCKPIT STRIKING MY FO IN THE R EYE AND BLINDING BOTH HIM AND ME FOR APPROX 5-10 SECONDS DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT BEAN. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE LAS TWR CTLR OF THE INCIDENT AND HE BEGAN TO ASK US SOME PARTICULARS STATING THAT THIS HAS BECOME A RECURRING PROB WITH THE LASER SHOW COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE X HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS. FO DID REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTN AND UPON EXAMINATION BY HIS DOCTOR, THE LASER BEAM HAD BURNED THE OUTER COATING OF THE WHITE AREA OF HIS EYE, ALSO BREAKING BLOOD VESSELS ACCOUNTING FOR THE DEEP REDNESS OF HIS EYE. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE, BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE SERIOUS SIT HAD THE LASER STRUCK MYSELF AS WELL AS THE FO AT A MORE DIRECT ANGLE, SEVERELY BLINDING BOTH OF US AND ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF MY PAX AND CREW. DURING TKOF AT LAS AT 400-500 FT, INTENSE GREEN LIGHT FLASHED THROUGH R SIDE OF COCKPIT STRIKING FO IN R EYE. DUE TO INTENSITY, NIGHT VISION WAS REDUCED FOR 5-10 MINS IN R EYE. VISION APPEARED TO RECOVER NORMALLY AND NEXT MORNING HAD RED AREA IN WHITE OF R EYE. SPOKE WITH OPTOMETRIST AND MADE APPOINTMENT FOR EXAMINATION. UPON EXAMINATION, BEAM HAD BURNED THROUGH OUTER COATING OF WHITE OF EYE AND BROKEN BLOOD VESSELS ACCOUNTING FOR RED AREA. NO IRIS OR RETNA DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.