'I had melted part of my retina': €80k award for student after laser beam eye injury

A student who sued in the High Court after he claimed he suffered a burn injury to his eye when another schoolboy shone a laser beam at him has been awarded €80,000.

The award is against the company which sold and distributed the sky green beam laser pointer pen which Mr Justice Michael Hanna said was a dangerous implement which did not comply with EU regulations and should not have been offered for sale.

The laser pen had been bought for around €10 on the internet by a schoolboy who brought it in to St Kevin’s College, Finglas. Another boy had accidentally pointed the pen at the eye of Dillon Breen, who suffered a burn injury to his retina.

Mr Breen had originally sued the school, St Kevin’s College, Finglas, Dublin and the distributor, Syncron Ltd, Ballycoolin, Dublin over the incident eight years ago but in the High Court today, the case against the school was struck out.

As judgement had already been obtained against Syncron Ltd in default of appearance, Mr Justice Hanna assessed damages against the company which is understood to no longer be trading.

The judge said the school, St Kevin’s College, Finglas had been excused from the proceedings and bears no responsibility in relation to the unfortunate act. The laser incident had happened when a teacher was momentarily out of the classroom, but the judge said he was entitled to be out of the classroom on other necessary business.

The fault Mr Justice Michael Hanna said lay entirely with those who offered for sale through the internet this dangerous implement and the judge said they are "to be condemned for so doing".

Mr Breen he said suffered a partial loss of vision in his right eye and will have that impairment for the rest of his life and he will have to wear glasses.

Mr Justice Hanna said that there was no doubt if the school had been aware this implement was in the school it would have taken action.

'Melted part of my retina'

Dillon Breen,(24) Ferndale Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin has sued the board of management of St Kevin’s College, Ballygall Road, Finglas Dublin and the producer and distributor of the sky green beam laser pointer pen Syncron Limited, Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin over the laser pen incident on May 25, 2012.

He had claimed Syncron Ltd had distributed the laser pen which he claimed had a level of output which was in contravention of the EU directives applicable at the time, and that it was a dangerous product.

Mr Breen in evidence said the other schoolboy did not mean to do something hurtful to him, but shone the laser pen beam in his right eye.

I was doing exam papers and focussing down. He shone it in my right eye. I felt a burning sensation immediately. I didn’t tell anybody; I didn’t want to be a rat on anybody.

He said he later had headaches and went to hospital where he was told "I had melted part of my retina".

He added: "I had perfect 20:20 vision before. Now, I have a tick in my vision of the centre of my right eye. It has taken 10% of my vision."