Looking directly at the sun, even just a few seconds can cause serious damage to the eyes. Likewise, when looking directly at the sun without using protection when a solar eclipse occurs.
Some people might think that it's okay to look directly at a solar eclipse, because the sky becomes dark when the sun is covered by the moon. In fact, seeing a solar eclipse directly can harm the eyes.
The Danger of Stare at a Solar Eclipse
Staring directly at a solar eclipse without protection can cause solar retinopathy. Solar retinopathy occurs when too much ultraviolet (UV) light enters the retina and eventually damages the eyes.
When entering the eye, UV light will be focused by the lens and absorbed by the retina behind the eye. After being absorbed by the retina, UV light produces free radicals that begin to oxidize the tissue around the eyes. As a result, stem cells and cone cells in the retina are damaged. This condition is called solar retinopathy.
People who experience solar retinopathy generally do not immediately feel symptoms or even feel no symptoms at all. The symptoms of solar retinopathy appear a few hours to 12 hours later, which take the form of:
- Discomfort in the eyes when looking at bright light.
- Sore eyes.
- Watery eyes.
- Headache.
In more serious conditions, the eye can experience:
- Blurred or shaded vision.
- Decreased ability to see colors and shapes.
- There are black spots in the middle of the eye.
- Permanent eye damage.
Symptoms can improve on their own, but can take a month to a year to heal. Permanent eye damage may also occur, especially if retinal damage is classified as severe.
How to Protect Your Eyes When Looking at a Solar Eclipse
In 2017, a woman in America reportedly suffered eye damage after staring at a solar eclipse directly for 21 seconds without wearing eye protection. A few hours later, he experienced a blurred vision and could only see black. The experts later discovered that the retina was burning and eye damage had occurred at the cellular level. The woman was diagnosed with solar retinopathy.
The incident above emphasizes the danger of looking directly at a solar eclipse without eye protection. Therefore, you need to use protection before witnessing a solar eclipse.
Use special glasses to see the solar eclipse. These glasses generally use special filters that can reduce the intensity of sunlight. Do not use ordinary sunglasses, as dark as any color of the lens.
How to see a solar eclipse also needs attention. Instead of focusing too much on the sun, look away for a few moments before looking at it again. When the solar eclipse reaches its peak, which is totally closed and the sky darkens, the glasses can be removed. The beauty of a total solar eclipse can be witnessed directly without the use of a protector. However, a total solar eclipse only occurs a few moments, so that after the sun is exposed, the protector must be re-used so that sunlight does not damage the retina.
Also avoid seeing solar eclipses directly through a telescope, binoculars, camera lens, or cellphone lens, unless a special filter has been installed on the lens. In addition, it is possible that you accidentally look directly at the solar eclipse when using these tools.
Watching a solar eclipse can be a valuable experience because of the scarcity of this phenomenon. However, after knowing the dangers of a solar eclipse if you stare directly, you are expected to be more alert and prepare yourself before witnessing it. If there is vision problems or eye problems after staring at a solar eclipse, see your eye doctor immediately.
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