Nothing causes instant damage. (See Into the Sun for an interesting take on it) The question then comes, how much exposure will damage your eyes. The Straight Dope has a very good article on this: Can laser pointers damage your eyes? As does Scientific American: Can a pocket laser damage the eye? The big take is that (until recently) the most powerful laser pointers available would cause you to blink before it would do damage to your eyes (about 0.25s).
Importance of the sun. - Sun = ultimate source of E for all organisms-The energy from sunlight is stored in the chemical bonds of molecules. - When these bonds are broken, energy is released-Same for all fuel sources (food, fossil fuel, biofuel).
There is no perfect energy source. Each and every one has its own advantages and compromises. This series explores the pros and cons of various energy sources. Learn about other forms of energy generation here. Nuclear fusion is the most basic form of energy in the universe. It is what powers the sun (pictured) and all of the stars.