I've never fully understood, does Superman project actual laser beams from his eyes, or are they regular heat beams?

You know I don't think its every been fully explained, although I have a limited knowledge on Superman's abilities. But one would assume that its excess energy his body has absorbed, so it could probably be either, although heat beams are most likely. Sorry I didn't give a real answer to your question.

I think it's drawn like a laser to point out where it is and where it's going, but  I do believe it's beams of heat, which actually could count as lasers. But for the most part I think it's just heat. Have you ever heard the expressing, "If you stare at something for too long you'll burn a hole through it"? My grandma used to say it and I think that may have been where the creators got it from. They all did grow up in that era.

Its a blast of heat, I'm not sure why its colored red though. Dramatic effect?

Rapid Burst

@koshi_waza88: Cause everybody wants to have X-Ray vision...

Does he loose solar energy when he use heat vision

@blackhawk000111 said:

That’s not exactly established in Superman continuity, but there some hints of it and in general that opinion accepted by readers.

@sanohibiki: It is written in his wiki

"Superman’s physiology can convert stored solar energy into beams of highly concentrated thermal energy which can reach temperatures comparable to those produced by stars. The two beams of energy which are released from his eyes are bright red in color, but at lower temperatures can be made invisible, allowing him to work undetected."

stored solar energy so i think he lose some of it while using heat vison

@blackhawk000111:

I never take too seriously whatever written in different Wikis; they’re subjects for interpretation and hardly could be considered as official information sources.

Strictly speaking, it doesn’t matter which one exactly of his abilities Superman uses, he always burn of some of his energy reserves; I read a couple of hundreds Superman comics, but I don’t remember was it stated even once that Kryptonian heat vision is the concentrated sunlight or not. It just assumed that it is, and if it’s so then when Superman performs some big @ss heat vision feat, logically he should be wasting his energy reserves at faster rate than usual.

@koshi_waza88 said:

@scouterv: :

Supergirl knows what I'm talking about.

Dumb powers

Awesome!

@blackhawk000111: Yes

What is the comic with heat vision the Earth

He stores solar energy in himself and tecnically it can be used both ways. Like a energy blast or just superhot heat. He has done both using as heat and blasting away opponents.