Visibility of a scan laser light pattern or an aiming laser light pattern on a symbol to be read by a hand-held, electro-optical reader is enhanced by directing laser light having a laser wavelength in the laser light pattern to the symbol, configuring an optical element to be transmissive to the laser light of the same laser wavelength, supporting the optical element by the reader, moving the optical element from a stored position to a deployed position, and viewing the laser light pattern on the symbol through the optical element in the deployed position.