WASHINGTON — There is no set rule for how long a glance at a solar eclipse can cause damage, but experts say even a few seconds isn't worth the risk.
One of the risks taken while viewing a solar eclipse without the proper eyewear is solar retinopathy, also known as eclipse retinopathy. Solar retinopathy is damage to your retina from looking directly at the sun or other bright lights like lasers, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Children are especially vulnerable to Solar retinopathy, for which there is no proven treatment and can result in mild to moderate vision loss and can be permanent.
In 2017, a New York woman suffered eye damage while viewing a total solar eclipse. Three days after the eclipse, the woman showed symptoms, including a crescent shape blocking the center of her vision.
According to reporting by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a doctor in Sacramento, California, recorded treating a patient who claimed he had viewed the eclipse with the proper eyeglasses. However, the patient was injured in only one eye, leading experts to believe he may have taken a peek through an unfiltered telescope or camera.
In the California case, the patient's blind spot resolved on its own and the man's vision returned to normal, but the doctor said a crescent-shaped area of swollen cells in his retina resembles the image of the 80% eclipse pattern seen in Sacramento.
This kind of eye damage is not new. The Cleveland Clinic says solar retinopathy has been recognized as a disease since the times of ancient Greece when people would gaze at solar eclipses without any eyewear.
While you may think you would feel a burning sensation when the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays damage the tissue of your retina, you are more likely not going to feel anything. Symptoms could take a few hours or even days to notice.
The Cleveland Clinic says symptoms of solar retinopathy include:
- Epiphora (watery eyes)
- Headaches
- Photophobia (sensitivity to light)
More serious symptoms of solar retinopathy include:
- Blurred vision
- Eye pain
- Metamorphopsia (straight lines appear rounded)
- Micropsia (objects appear smaller than they are)
- Scotoma (a blind spot in your line of sight)
The proper eye protection is key when viewing a solar eclipse. To safely view a solar eclipse, you need special eclipse glasses. Those extra-dark shades block out almost all light, allowing you to look directly at the sky without damaging your retinas.
Simple dark ordinary sunglasses won't protect your eyes. According to the American Astronomical Society, glasses will need to meet the International Safety Standard (ISO).
"Filters that are ISO 12312-2 compliant not only reduce visible sunlight to safe and comfortable levels but also block all but a tiny fraction of solar UV and IR radiation," the American Astronomical Society reads.
The AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force has been working to compile a list of trusted vendors.
However, these glasses won't protect your eyes when looking through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device. NASA says those require different types of solar filters.
"Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device," the NASA website says. "Note that solar filters must be attached to the front of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens, or other optics."
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