- Google searches for “sore eyes” surged by 650 per cent following a partial solar eclipse across the UK.
- Mr Emil Kurniawan, a consultant ophthalmologist at OCL Vision, said: “Looking directly at the sun, even for just a few seconds, can burn the retina at the back of the eye, even if only a sliver of the sun is visible during a partial eclipse.”
- He added: “This condition, known as solar retinopathy, is painless which is why it’s so dangerous - people don’t realise the damage they’ve done until hours or even days later.”
- Should you develop any of the following symptoms after viewing the sun, you should seek urgent medical attention: Eye pain, redness, grittiness or irritation, blurred vision, distorted vision, new dark spots, sudden changes in sight.
- After the total solar eclipse in 1999, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the event.
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