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These graphs show how much Americans were freaking out about vision loss after the eclipse
These graphs show how much Americans were freaking out about vision loss after the eclipse
Mark AbadiAug 22, 2017, 06:58 IST
People watch the solar eclipse at Saluki Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University on August 21, 2017 in Carbondale, Illinois. Although much of it was covered by a cloud, with approximately 2 minutes 40 seconds of totality the area in Southern Illinois experienced the longest duration of totality during the eclipse. Millions of people are expected to watch as the eclipse cuts a path of totality 70 miles wide across the United States from Oregon to South Carolina on August 21.Scott Olson/Getty
Perhaps nothing captures the hysteria over Monday's solar eclipse than the things Americans were looking up on Google in the hours that followed.
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According to Google Trends data, several search terms related to vision problems spiked in popularity Monday afternoon around 3 p.m. Eastern Time - right around the time the eclipse passed over the US's east coast.
The searches included terms like "my eyes hurt," "vision loss," and "I can't see" - all symptoms that could arise if the eclipse-watcher didn't wear specially-designed protective eyewear.
But if Americans were feeling any strange symptoms after the eclipse, there's a good chance they were unrelated to the eclipse. According to PreventBlindness.org, it could take hours or even days after an eclipse before retinal damage becomes apparent.
Check out some of the search terms that spiked after the eclipse:
