A Coast Guard aircrew was forced to return to Barbers Point late Tuesday after someone shone a laser at their MH-65 Dolphin helicopter when it was two miles offshore of Oahu, officials said.

The crew’s flight mechanic and rescue swimmer were affected, compromising their abilities to perform their duties, the service said.

"Whether this was a malicious or just irresponsible act, it is critical that the public be aware of the seriousness of lasing an aircraft," Capt. Timothy Gilbride, commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, said in a news release Wednesday. "Not only does it risk the lives of the aircrew, it can delay rescue missions or disable crews, risking the lives of distressed mariners."

A federal air marshal who works as a liaison to the FBI recently said the number of laser strikes nationwide on aircraft has reached almost epidemic levels.

The number of aircraft laser strikes in the U.S. has gone up dramatically in recent years, with the Federal Aviation Administration reporting 3,592 laser incidents in 2011; 2,836 in 2010; and 1,527 in 2009.

The FBI said laser strikes are expected to reach 3,700 this year.

In 2010, Honolulu Airport had the eighth-highest total in the country for laser strikes aimed at aircraft, with 47. Updated figures were not immediately available Wednesday.

Lasers can cause glare, after-image, flash blindness or temporary loss of night vision, all leading to danger for the crew, the Coast Guard said.

If any aircrew member’s vision is compromised during a flight, Coast Guard flight rules dictate that the aircraft must abort its mission.

"This hinders the Coast Guard’s ability to respond to people in distress, training and homeland security missions," the service said Wednesday.

Aircrew members are taken off flight duty for a minimum of 24 hours and must have their eyes dilated and be cleared by a doctor before flying again.

The FBI said that in recent years, technology has improved the power of handheld lasers. Powerful lasers are inexpensive and widely available on the Internet, giving some people the impression they are toys.

Even a 5-milliwatt laser, a common power for pointer devices, can cause damage if pointed at the eye for any length of time, and higher-powered devices provide less time to look away before damage occurs, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

A law enacted this year builds on previous penalties and makes pointing a laser at an aircraft a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $11,000 per violation, according to the FBI.