Millions of people across the country had their eyes on the sky during Monday’s total solar eclipse, and now some may be afraid they accidentally damaged their eyes in the process. There were plenty of warnings about not looking at the eclipse without special protective glasses, because solar retinopathy or “eclipse blindness” can happen when staring at the sun without them, even for just a few seconds.
So how do you know if you hurt your eyes during the eclipse? The American Academy of Ophthalmology shared a list of symptoms to look out for:
- Blurry vision
- Headache
- A blind spot in your central vision in one or both eyes
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Distorted vision (where a straight line looks bent or curvy)
- Changes in the way you see color
While there’s no treatment for solar retinopathy, the organization reports that “many people recover after three to six months,” but permanent vision loss is a possibility. The good news? These eye injuries are rare and there were fewer than 100 reported cases of eye problems in the U.S. and Canada after the 2017 eclipse. If you’re concerned, experts advise seeing an ophthalmologist who can determine if there’s any damage.
Source: NY Post