Usually once the cells in the macula are damaged, there isn't much doctors can do in terms of treatment, and you could end up with permanent vision loss. If the damage is milder and the retina hasn't scarred yet, then he says your doctor might be able to improve or restore your vision faster than it would healing on its own. An ophthalmologist or other eye care specialist will have the right tools to examine your eyes and check for any signs of retinal damage, then assess the severity of the damage and treat you as needed.
Besides, it never hurts to check and your vision is pretty important. Contact Caroline Kee at caroline. Got a confidential tip? Submit it here. If left untreated, they can eventually cause blindness. So, staring at the sun without proper eye protection is a clearly bad idea, but doing the same through a telescope or binoculars is just plain dumb. As a magnifying glasses fries an ant, these devices concentrate the suns rays into destructive points, causing immediate photochemical and thermal damage.
The UV can literally cook your eyes out of your head, destroying rod-and-cone structures and potentially resulting in permanent blindness. The only safe way to look at the sun through binoculars or a telescope is to install a solar filter.
According to Dr. The Sun can only be viewed directly when filters specially designed to protect the eyes are used. Most of these filters have a thin layer of chromium alloy or aluminum deposited on their surfaces that attenuates both visible and near-infrared radiation.
A safe solar filter should transmit less than 0. The longer infrared between and nm does not get past the tears and front of the eyeball, so is not a problem. If you can't afford a solar filter, you can always build a small pinhole projector or other indirect viewing method. Beware … damage will occur! When you stare directly at the sun—or other types of bright light such as a welding torch—ultraviolet light floods your retina, literally burning the exposed tissue.
Short-term damage can include sunburn of the cornea—known as solar keratitis. This results in light sensitivity and pain, with symptoms generally showing up within 24 hours of exposure. More serious damage is known as solar retinopathy.
The obvious preventative measure is not to look at the sun directly in any conditions and no matter what you are using for eye protection a hat, sunglasses or shade. As for solar eclipses, there are several safe ways you can view them, including creating a pinhole projector and using solar eclipse glasses.
As for everyday eye protection , try:. Ultraviolet Phototoxicity to the Retina. Eye and Contact Lens. Solar Retinopathy. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
University of California, Santa Barbara. All About Vision. Solar Eclipse and Your Eyes. Prevent Blindness Foundation. Will looking at the sun really make you blind? October Australian Academy of Science. Why Shouldn't You Stare at the Sun? September June The Skin Cancer Foundation. The information provided on this page should not be used in place of information provided by a doctor or specialist.
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