Generally, under the same power, the 532nm green Laser pointer is 5-7 times brighter than any other laser color. Whether it is light colors such as blue, red, purple/purple or yellow, green is the most visible material. For example, a 100mW green laser is actually 5-7 times brighter than a 100mW red or violet laser pointer. Therefore, if you want visibility, be sure to consider green first. If you want visibility and burning, consider blue.
On this scale, it is difficult to see the hazards at close range: eye injury (black), blinking (red) and glare (orange). This shows the first principle: the most significant hazard is relatively close to the laser. Remember this when you hear something like “1 watt laser can harm 25.5 nautical miles.” Despite the danger of distraction from this distance, the more obvious danger of glare and blindness is within 2.5 miles, and the danger of eye injury is within 733 feet.
On October 25, 2016, the FDA first submitted its proposal to the Public/Industry/Scientific Advisory Group Technical Electronic Product Radiation Safety Standards Committee (TEPRSSC). This recommendation is mainly based on the human eye’s scotopic (dark adaptation) response to various light wavelengths. The FDA told the committee that “under night-time adapted visual conditions, colors at 615 nm and above show only 1.4% of green at the 532 [nm] that is usually manufactured.” The agency said, “If there is no green and blue laser engraver pointer, it will be able to effectively eliminate the harm caused by laser aircraft lighting.”
Even though federal regulations prohibit the sale of these high-power lasers, these lasers are still available from overseas suppliers who ship them to the United States without any apparently effective regulations. Many high-power lasers can be used as handheld battery-powered devices and look like “laser pointers.” Most lasers are classified into Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3R devices based on their laser power and wavelength. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has issued ANSI standards for the safe use of laser 2. They propose complex guidelines for determining safety limits, establishing safety rules and conditions, and other aspects of laser use. The previous 1, 2, 3a, 3b and 4 categories have been replaced by systems with 1, 1M, 2, 2M, 3R, 3B and 4 categories. Class 1 lasers are safe in all situations, including CD players, DVD players, laser printers, and ophthalmic scanning laser ophthalmoscopes. Class 2 lasers are products with visible wavelengths (400-700 nm). Because blinking reflection limits the exposure time to less than 0.25 seconds, it is safe.
Since FDA-restricted lasers are outside our scope here, that completes our overview of the available green blue laser pointer sights on the commercial market. So, should you go green? All things being equal, in my opinion, the answer is yes. In the end, the “brighter” perception of green lasers is the kicker. The heat issues are moot, unless you’re in the 10th Mountain and assaulting Mount Everest.