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The Protocol does not prohibit attacks against binoculars, periscopes, telescopes, and other optical equipment because it was unknown whether laser attacks on such devices could cause permanent blindness.<ref name=CarnahanRobertson1996 /> Article 3 allows for attacks on electronic optical equipment, because damaging it would not cause human injury.<ref name=CarnahanRobertson1996 />
[[Ophthalmologist]] John Marshall argues that despite the Protocol's ban, countries continue to develop and use "[[rangefinders]], target illuminators, and anti-sensor systems" that "are still effectively antipersonnel laser weapons" because these technologies have the potential to be employed against people in addition to their intended uses. For example, "a laser system that will [[Dazzler (weapon)|dazzle]] at one mile away may permanently blind at closer range."<ref name=Marshall1997>{{cite journal|last1=Marshall|first1=John|title=Blinding Laser Weapons: Still Available on the Battlefield|journal=BMJ: British Medical Journal|date=29 Nov 1997|volume=315|issue=7120|page=1392|doi=10.1136/bmj.315.7120.1392}}</ref> The only way to prevent all possible eye injuries by combat lasers would be to ban such lasers{{citation needed}}, but the countries negotiating the Protocol saw this as neither feasible militarily nor even desirable from a humanitarian standpoint because target-marking and rangefinding lasers are important for keeping munitions on target and away from civilians.<ref name=CarnahanRobertson1996 />
==References==
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