Eclipse: Improper eye protection could permanently damage eyes
All eyes will be on the path of the upcoming annular eclipse Oct. 14, but a Texas Tech physicians expert advises the public to take precautions.
An annular eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in front of the sun, but the moon is too small to completely obscure the sun, leaving a ring of sunlight visible. During an annular eclipse, the sun is still very bright, and can cause permanent damage to vision.
Kelly Mitchell, a Texas Tech Physicians ophthalmologist, said looking at an eclipse with unprotected eyes can cause serious and permanent damage to the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
“An eclipse is such an interesting astronomical event that we as human beings are so curious that we want to look at it,” Mitchell said. “That heightens the desire to look, especially for young people who don’t understand the risks. “There are significant and serious risks of injury to the eye if you look at the sun generally, but really specifically with regard to solar eclipses,” he added.
Someone looking long enough at the sun or an eclipse that begins to notice “a lingering distortion” of their central vision could be diagnosed with the disease known as solar retinopathy, Mitchell said.
“There is no effective treatment … and you would be left with a permanent and potentially significant loss of your central vision,” he said.
To safely view the Oct. 14 annular eclipse, Mitchell recommends using specially designed eclipse glasses or a solar filter which meet the International Organizations for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 standard.
It is important to buy eclipse glasses and filters from a reputable source and to keep them in good condition. There should never be a nick, hole or crease in the filter; it is a very delicate and dark membrane.
There are two general ways to look at an eclipse.
“The direct way is when you look directly at the eclipse, through the proper protective filter over your eyes,” Mitchell said.
“The indirect method is when you’re positioning the eclipse over your shoulder,” he said, “and project the image of the sun through a hole, onto a white surface, such as a sheet of white copy paper or a smooth concrete surface.”
Comment
Comments