Unrelated, but I really want to take the opportunity:

How can one know what is dangerous for the eyes or not? Years ago I got an "IR illuminator" (from aliexpress, probably) that I wanted to use with my raspberrypi NoIR camera, for fun. Say filming myself during the night to see how much I move while sleeping, or making my own wildlife camera trap.

But I was scared that it could be dangerous and never used it (I tested it in an empty room, but that was it).

Is there a safe way for a hobbyist to get an IR illuminator and be sure that I won't make somebody blind with it?

IR illuminators are not lasers. Their purpose is to cast light across a broad area, not to deliver it all to one point. They should not be harmful to vision.

Buy from a reputable dealer. I don’t buy batteries, lasers, or items I ingest from locations lacking any repercussions.