How to Safely View a Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse, a spectacle that happens when the moon briefly covers the sun, is a captivating experience that should be enjoyed with caution. Improper viewing of a solar eclipse can lead to severe eye injury.

How to View a Solar Eclipse?

Solar eclipses are safe to view only when done with proper precautions. Looking directly at the sun during any phase of a solar eclipse is dangerous without suitable eye protection. Approved filters meeting the ISO 12312-2 standard are the only safe choice.

Do not look at the sun through alternative filters like sunglasses, instant camera filters, cameras, telescopes, binoculars or certain welding glass. These fail to block harmful infrared and ultraviolet rays and the solar rays can burn through the filter and cause serious eye injuries.

The totality phase, a period of time when the sun is fully blocked by the moon, is the only time to view the eclipse without special glasses or filters. However, once any part of the sun becomes visible, approved safety glasses and filters must be put back on.

Dangers of Direct Sun Viewing

Staring directly at the sun poses risks to both the front and back parts of your eye, or the cornea and retina. Mild exposure can lead to solar keratitis, causing a sunburn on the cornea; while more severe damage can result in burns to the retina, or solar retinopathy, which can cause visual impairment.

Solar Retinopathy

Solar retinopathy occurs when intense light damages the retina, often caused by gazing at the sun or prolonged exposure to bright light. The damage can affect vision, with many symptoms appearing within hours of the injury. These symptoms may include:

• Blind spots
• Abnormal color vision
• Metamorphopsia, twisting or warping of vision
• Micropsia, seeing objects smaller than they actually are
• Headaches

Diagnosis and Treatment

Treatment through prevention is the most effective way to manage solar retinopathy. Given that the retina lacks pain receptors, seeking immediate consultation with an ophthalmologist is crucial if these symptoms appear. Diagnosis involves a thorough eye examination with dilation of the eyes so the ophthalmologist can see the retina. Other tests and imaging may be needed to help confirm the diagnosis. These can include photos taken of the back of the eye, visual field testing to check for blind spots, optical coherence tomography image testing to see cross sections of the retina, and fluorescein angiography to test for blood flow in the retina.

Currently, there is no known treatment for solar retinopathy. Most people experience improvement over 3-6 months without treatment, but some individuals experience permanent distortions and blind spots in their vision.