Canada
Practice Relating to Rule 86. Blinding Laser Weapons
Section A. Laser weapons specifically designed to cause permanent blindness
Canada’s LOAC Manual (1999) states: “Laser weapons specifically designed, as their sole combat function or one of their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision (i.e., the naked eye or to the eye with corrective eyesight devices) are prohibited.”
Canada’s LOAC Manual (2001) states in its chapter entitled “Restrictions on the use of weapons”:
1. Laser weapons specifically designed, as their sole combat function or as one of their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision (that is, to the naked eye or to the eye with corrective eyesight devices) are prohibited.
2. “Permanent blindness” means irreversible and uncorrectable loss of vision that is seriously disabling with no prospect of recovery. Serious disability is equivalent to visual acuity of less than 20/200 vision.
Upon acceptance of the 1995 Protocol IV to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Canada stated: “The provisions of … Protocol [IV] which by their contents or nature may also be applied in peacetime, shall be observed at all times.”