![]() If the damage is very mild, your retina may look normal, so your ophthalmologist may need to perform other tests to confirm the diagnosis. If there is moderate to severe damage to your retina, your ophthalmologist should be able to see it during the examination. In order to dilate your eyes, eye drops are used to make the pupil (the black space in the center of the colored part of the eye) bigger. ![]() During the eye exam, the eyes should be dilated so that your ophthalmologist can see the inside of the back part of your eye (the retina). The ophthalmologist can help confirm the diagnosis and determine the amount of damage to the eye.Ī history of light exposure and a complete eye exam are needed to diagnose solar retinopathy. If you or a loved one might have solar retinopathy, it is important to see your ophthalmologist (a medical eye doctor). Symptoms of solar retinopathy typically happen within a few hours of the injury. The retina does not have pain receptors, so we do not feel the injury when it is occurring. Other complaints include: abnormal color vision (also known as dyschromatopsia), twisting or warping of the central vision (also known as metamorphopsia), seeing objects smaller than they actually are (also known as micropsia), and headaches. The most common symptom of solar retinopathy is a “blind spot” (also called a scotoma) in one or both eyes. What are the symptoms of solar retinopathy? More information on eye anatomy can be found at. The retina is the inner lining of the back part of the eye, shown by the red arrows. von Noorden Young Investigator Awardįigure 1: Eye Anatomy. You will not need any fancy glasses or filters and you probably already have the necessary materials at home. Ī “pinhole camera” is a safe and fun way to indirectly view the sun or an eclipse. Here is a link to well- known telescope and solar-filter companies that manufacture eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers. These special filters are many thousands of times darker than ordinary sunglasses. These filters are used in “eclipse glasses” and handheld solar viewers. As recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Astronomical Society, the use of special solar filters, ISO 12312-2, can prevent blindness from solar retinopathy. There is only one way to directly look at the sun or eclipse without damaging your eyesight. The sun’s light can directly damage the macula resulting in permanent blind spots in or near your central vision. Solar retinopathy can occur when directly gazing at the sun or when viewing an eclipse. The next solar eclipse will occur in South America in July, 2019. The last solar eclipse was in March, 2016 where a path of totality could be seen in Indonesia. The eclipse will sweep across the United States creating a path of totality extending from Oregon to South Carolina (traveling west to east). ![]() Use proper solar filters to protect your eyesight. Use of binoculars or telescopes not equipped with special solar filters can permanently damage your eyes and even cause blindness. Never look directly at the sun or an eclipse without having equipment specifically designed for looking at the sun. The rest of the continent will experience a partial eclipse of the sun. Those within the 70 mile wide path will experience a deep twilight sky as the sun’s light becomes blocked. Many will travel to the path of totality to experience a total eclipse of the sun, where the moon will totally block the sun for a few minutes (up to 2 minutes 40 seconds). The next solar eclipse visible across North America will occur on August 21, 2017. Staring directly at the sun, without special filters or glasses, can permanently damage your retina. It is never safe to directly look at the sun, even during an eclipse. Looking directly at the sun can permanently damage your eyes.
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