Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

The <keyword id="20371124" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="total-solar-eclipse-2024" source="Orion">total solar eclipse 2024</keyword>, which will grace our skies on October 2, will see the Moon appearing smaller than the Sun. This will leave a bright ring of light peeking out around a darkened centre, resulting in a “Ring of Fire”. The eclipse will be visible between 9:13 PM IST and 3:17 PM IST the following day.<br /><br />While this fascinating astronomical event will draw attention from millions around the world owing to the stunning visual experience, many sceptics are likely concerned about some health concerns that often arise, particularly surrounding the effect of <keyword id="20819846" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Solar-eclipse" source="keywords">solar eclipse</keyword>s on human health. But can a solar eclipse really impact your well-being? Let’s explore the science behind it.<br /><h2><keyword id="21058492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eye-safety" source="keywords">Eye safety</keyword> during a solar eclipse<br /></h2>One of the most well-known health risks associated with a solar eclipse is eye damage. The sun’s rays, even during an eclipse, can severely harm the eyes if viewed without proper protection. <keyword id="21247857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-retinopathy" source="keywords">Solar retinopathy</keyword> is a condition caused by direct exposure to the sun's intense light, potentially leading to permanent damage to the retina. The misconception arises because people think that during an eclipse, it's safe to look at the sun when the moon partially covers it. However, this is far from the truth. Viewing a solar eclipse without certified solar glasses or an appropriate viewing device can result in serious vision problems.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="109046705" title="How to take the perfect selfie during the total solar eclipse" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><br /><h2>Psychological impact<br /></h2>For centuries, solar eclipses have been associated with myths, superstitions, and even fears. Some people may experience anxiety or heightened emotions leading up to or during the eclipse. This psychological stress can manifest physically in ways like headaches or muscle tension, but these effects are largely due to emotional responses rather than the eclipse itself.<br /><h2>Other health concerns: fact or fiction?<br /></h2>Some people also believe that solar eclipses can cause physical pain, such as back aches or headaches. Myths suggesting that solar eclipses can cause digestive issues, skin problems, or even physical pain like backaches are entirely unfounded.<br /><br />This is often attributed to the notion that cosmic disturbances have a direct impact on the human body. However, there is no scientific basis for these claims. Physical ailments that occur during or around the time of an eclipse are more likely coincidental, or they may be psychosomatic — stemming from stress, anxiety, or heightened awareness during the event.<br /><br />These myths are largely perpetuated by cultural narratives and fear of the unknown. Today, we know that solar eclipses are natural phenomena that have no direct impact on human health beyond eye safety concerns. Science continues to dispel these misconceptions, reinforcing that the effects of a solar eclipse are primarily psychological and cultural, not physical.<br /><br />With the right precautions — especially regarding eye protection — there’s no reason to fear this natural phenomenon.<br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113241382" title="How to pick the best cruises to see the northern lights, eclipses, and galaxies, according to an astrophysicist" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><br />

Does a solar eclipse really impact your health?

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/archive/SOLAR-ECLIPSE--LM1EB3K0VDM01.html">Cathal McNaughton/Reuters</a></span></p><p class="caption">Seriously, protect your vision.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Let's get this out of the way: you cannot safely watch the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/solar-eclipse-2017">solar eclipse</a> without wearing protective glasses.</p><p>If you aren't wearing protective glasses, ultraviolet light from the sun can penetrate and be absorbed into your retina, where it can cause a condition that eye doctors call <a href="http://eyewiki.aao.org/Solar_Retinopathy">solar retinopathy</a>.</p><p>Many people are aware of that, but there are still some myths out there about what exactly happens to people who have looked at an eclipse without protection.</p><p>Contrary to what some warnings make it sound like, solar retinopathy doesn't necessarily leave sufferers totally blind. For most people, the damage affects central vision and may make it blurry or spotty. In some cases, that damage goes away after a few days, weeks, or months. But in others, that damage is permanent.</p><p>And it's all due to the power of the sun and the way an eclipse can cloud our judgment.</p><p>The sun is powerful enough that direct exposure to its light can damage your eyes or <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-2017-how-to-take-photos-of-the-eclipse-2017-8">damage your camera sensor</a> if you point a zoom lens directly at it.</p><p>Most of the time, we instinctively don't let ourselves look at the sun - the brightness causes us to blink or look away, which is why solar retinopathy cases are mostly associated with eclipse events (other cases have occurred when people have engaged in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A%3A1001160413794">sun-gazing rituals</a> or when people <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4707624">tripping on LSD</a> have been captivated by the sun's brilliance).</p><p>During an eclipse when the sun isn't totally covered by the moon, our star's brightness decreases significantly. All of a sudden it's not painful to look at the sun, either because the brightness has lessened so much or because our fascination overrides our pain reflex.</p><p>Either way, that decrease is deceptive. The sun is still emitting enough ultraviolet light that it could potentially damage your eyes within seconds.</p><p>"We were just doing it for a short time," 70-year-old Lou Tomososki <a href="https://www.today.com/health/eclipse-eye-damage-man-who-hurt-vision-warns-others-t115190">told Today</a> of himself and a friend sneaking a peek at a 1962 eclipse in Oregon. "I have a little blind spot in the center of my right eye."</p><p>That doesn't mean everyone who has ever glanced at an eclipse has lost their vision. Solar retinopathy is difficult to predict. Ophthalmologists and optometrists reliably expect to see a few cases of it after an eclipse, <a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/884333">according to Medscape</a>.</p><p>Usually, people whose eyes are damaged notice a change within a few hours or by the next day (though it's worth pointing out that cumulative damage by ultraviolet light over your lifetime can later result in eye problems).</p><p><a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/how-are-eyes-damaged-staring-sun">According to NASA</a>, symptoms usually include blurred vision, dark or yellow spots, pain, or loss of vision in the center of the eye. That sort of damage can make it hard or impossible to read or to focus on whatever is right in the center of your view.</p><p>For some people, vision recovers within 24 hours - those ones are lucky, though again, it doesn't mean there isn't damage to the eye, they could still see later problems. In general, people recover as much as they are going to within six months of the event, <a href="http://eyewiki.aao.org/Solar_Retinopathy">according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology</a>.</p><p>If you are within the 70-mile-wide band of totality, you can safely remove your protective glasses once the sun is totally covered. You'll know it's time because you won't be able to see anything with those glasses on. But as soon as beads of light start to re-appear, it's time to protect your eyes again. Even 1% of the sun is enough to cause damage.</p><p>If you can't find eclipse glasses, we'd recommend <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-pinhole-camera-viewer-instructions-2017-8">making a simple pinhole viewer</a> to watch safely.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pluto-charon-love-story-hopeless-romantic-planet-nasa-new-horion-2017-7">Pluto and its moon Charon have something that doesn't exist anywhere else in the solar system</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

What looking at the solar eclipse without glasses could do to your eyes

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_hecht/10644553343/in/photolist-bWyC1-97GcNV-hdBowZ-hdC7RM-97qp8N-c2YJEw-97Ko6j-97Gehi-97Ga7H-97mgiK-97JV93-59C7pG-6GZckA-7zB6fQ-59y69b-c2FNTf-c2FQ6b-c2GkGs-hdDpkh-c2G5X5-c2G7nj-c2GrEm-c2FYZf-c2FJjE-c2Gg73-c2GhRs-c2FYkb-c2GnkL-c2FLbS-c2FMjm-c2GpEf-c2G4Cf-c2FUM3-c2GqZ9-c2GcKu-c2GsPh-c2GeSA-c2G1fG-c2FKVq-c2FTyd-c2FRNA-c2FHAs-c2Gfib-c2GqjN-c2FYMQ-c2G3M3-c2GuUs-c2FUpG-c2GfGN-c2FKFm">Matt Hecht</a></span></p><p class="caption">A partial solar eclipse, where the moon only blocks a section of the sun.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Most days we barely give the giant, searing-hot ball of plasma in the sky a second thought.</p><p>That will change dramatically on Monday, August 21: when the total solar eclipse <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/total-solar-eclipse-nasa-research-jets-2017-7">sweeps across the continental United States</a> for the first time in nearly 100 years.</p><p>If you're not careful, though, the sun still will rapidly scorch your eyeballs.</p><p>While the moon will at least partially block the sun for the entire nation, the glowing crescent left behind will emit ultraviolet rays - the same light that causes sunburn - and could damage the light-sensing cells of your eyes' retinas. Even looking with normal sunglasses can lead to solar retinopathy, a condition that can temporarily blind you, <a href="https://www.nature.com/eye/journal/v16/n2/pdf/6700067a.pdf">lead to missing spots</a> in your vision, or even <a href="http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=3269">cause permanent blindness</a>.</p><p>The <em>only</em> safe time to look at the solar eclipse with the naked eye, <a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety">according to NASA</a>, is during <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-total-solar-eclipses-will-end-2017-6">totality</a>: where the moon's fullest, darkest umbral shadow touches. But only a small piece of America will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/total-solar-eclipse-chasing-airplane-experience-2017-8">experience its magic</a> (and for less than three minutes of the entire two- to three-hour eclipse, <a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/interactive_map/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">depending on the location</a>).</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4518">NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio</a></span></p><p class="caption">A US map of the total solar eclipse's shadow on August 21, 2017.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The good news is that there are several simple and safe ways to safely watch the partial eclipse - even if you're not in the path of totality, or you are and want to look at the sun beforehand.</p><p>Here are seven safe and simple methods to watch.</p>

How to safely watch the solar eclipse - even if you're not in the line of totality

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mark Wilson/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Donald Trump did wear eclipse glasses, but couldn't resist sneaking a look with his naked eyes.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Staring at the sun without certified protective glasses could have caused eye damage called solar retinopathy.</strong></li><li><strong>Usually people notice symptoms including blurry vision, discolored spots in vision, pain, or a loss of central vision by the next day.</strong></li><li><strong>If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after staring at the eclipse, call an eye doctor.</strong></li></ul><p>Eye doctors are going to be busy tomorrow.</p><p>If you checked out the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/solar-eclipse-2017">solar eclipse</a> and weren't wearing certified protective glasses (or even if you were), you might be wondering if your vision is okay.</p><p>Looking at the sun without adequate protection allows sunlight, including ultraviolet and near-infrared radiation, to penetrate the retina. That can burn parts of the eye and create a toxic reaction that causes damage, which can lead to a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-retinopathy-eye-damage-sun-2017-8">condition eye doctors refer to as photic or solar retinopathy</a>.</p><p>If you watched the eclipse in an unsafe way, damage may not be immediately apparent, since you can't feel burns on your retina. Some people might start to notice changes to their vision within a few hours, though it's most likely that vision changes would become apparent by the next day, <a href="http://eyewiki.aao.org/Solar_Retinopathy">according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology</a> (AAO).</p><p>Symptoms of solar retinopathy include poor vision, changes to vision including blurry or discolored spots, pain, and especially a loss of vision in the center of the eye. A number of solar retinopathy patients report being unable to read because of the changes, which can be temporary or permanent.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Scott Olson/Getty</span></p><p class="caption">People watch the solar eclipse on the campus of Southern Illinois University on August 21, 2017.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Some people Business Insider spoke with said their eyes felt strange immediately after viewing the eclipse even though they did wear protective glasses. If your glasses were properly certified and didn't let in any light that was less bright than the sun, the discomfort may just be a temporary effect. It could be caused by the rapidly changing levels of light exposure you encountered while repeatedly covering and uncovering your eyes to look at the crescent sun. The fact that your eyes felt weird after watching the eclipse doesn't necessarily mean there's any permanent damage.</p><p>People who watched the eclipse for even a brief period of time without protection, however, are susceptible to damage. President Trump briefly <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-watching-solar-eclipse-20017-photos-2017-8">demonstrated what</a> you were <em>not</em> supposed to do, and tech entrepreneur <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-2017-elon-musk-watches-eclipse-in-model-s-with-sunglasses-2017-8">Elon Musk may have done the same</a>, tweeting that he watched with "sunglasses."</p><p>Sunglasses don't provide adequate protection and could potentially increase the risk for eye damage, since the pupil opens up more widely to let light in, <a href="http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2017/08/18/why-you-shouldnt-take-a-selfie-during-the-solar-eclipse/">according to</a><span> Dr. Tongalp Tezel, an expert on retinas at Columbia University Medical Center.</span></p><p>If you are experiencing vision changes or eye pain, call an eye doctor to schedule an appointment.</p><p>A good proportion of cases do resolve themselves over time, potentially within a day or even over a couple of weeks, according to an <a href="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/2648904">editorial in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology</a>. But if vision hasn't come back within six months, it's not likely to - and there is, unfortunately, no present treatment for solar retinopathy.</p><p>A doctor can examine your eye and see changes to the retina, which can take on the appearance of the crescent-shaped sun responsible for the damage. Without medical confirmation, it's hard to know whether something is really wrong and to whether it can be addressed.</p><p>"I always, always say if you notice something strange about your vision, see the eye doctor," Adriane Santa Croce, an ophthalmic sonographer at Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia, told Business Insider. She added that "the concerns about vision following the eclipse may uncover unrelated eye problems that people may not have addressed otherwise," including changes in vision related to diabetes, cataracts, macular degeneration, or glaucoma.</p><p>Interestingly, Croce noted that this eclipse should provide doctors with a better understanding of how light can damage the eye, since some imaging technology used now didn't exist the last time many people watched an eclipse.</p><p>Regardless of how your eyes feel after the eclipse, the AAO recommends <a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/eye-exams-101">regular comprehensive vision exams</a>, since a number of health conditions can be first spotted in the eye.</p><p>If for any reason - eclipse or not - you notice any pain or vision changes tomorrow, call a doctor to be safe.</p>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tell-solar-eclipse-ruined-vision-permanent-damage-2017-8">Here's how to tell if the solar eclipse ruined your vision</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

If your eyes hurt after watching the solar eclipse, here's what you need to know

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/president-trump-stares-rights-solar-eclipse-glasses-article-1.3429928?utm_content=buffer6b5e7&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw">New York Daily News via Twitter</a></span></p><p class="caption">The New York Daily <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">News</keyword> came out early with a cover photo poking fun at the President looking at the solar eclipse without glasses.</p></div><p></p></div></div>The New York Daily News <a href="https://twitter.com/NYDailyNews">offered</a><a href="https://twitter.com/NYDailyNews"> an early look</a> at Tuesday's front-page cover that poked fun at President Trump for apparently ignoring solar eclipse warnings as he took in the phenomenon from a White House balcony.</p><p>Tuesday's cover features the president and First Lady Melania Trump side by side, with the president looking up at the sun without protective eyewear.</p><p>The words "NOT TOO BRIGHT!" are printed just above Trump's head, on the publication's front page. "Trump ignored fake news warning, stares at eclipse," the publication's sub-headline read, co-opting a familiar pejorative Trump uses to describe news he disapproves of.</p><p>Eye doctors, scientists, and experts have been warning the public for months not to look directly at the eclipse. Business Insider's Kevin Loria <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-retinopathy-eye-damage-sun-2017-8">reported</a> that without protective glasses, ultraviolet light from the sun can penetrate the human retina, causing a condition that eye doctors call <a href="http://eyewiki.aao.org/Solar_Retinopathy">solar retinopathy</a>. Solar retinopathy can go away within a few days, weeks, or months, but in some cases the damage can be permanent.</p><p>According to a White House pool report, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-watching-solar-eclipse-20017-photos-2017-8">one of Trump's aides shouted</a> "Don't look!" when Trump walked outside and looked up to the solar eclipse.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-white-house-gut-renovated-truman-renovation-2017-1">The White House is undergoing renovations - here's how it changed after a massive facelift in the 1950s</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

'NOT TOO BRIGHT': New York Daily News jabs Trump for ignoring solar eclipse warnings

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Pablo Blazquez Dominguez / Stringer</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>As you may have heard, a total <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/solar-eclipse-2017">solar eclipse</a> is making its way across the continental US today.</p><p>You need to wear protective solar eclipse glasses to safely watch the moon cross in front of the sun, as the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-retinopathy-eye-damage-sun-2017-8">sun's powerful rays can cause serious eye damage</a> if they are viewed directly. (There are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-pinhole-camera-viewer-instructions-2017-8">good ways</a> to watch the event without staring at the sun if you haven't been able to find glasses.)</p><p>But one method of trying to watch without directly looking should be avoided, according to Dr. Tongalp Tezel, a retina expert at Columbia University Medical Center.</p><p>Don't try to watch the eclipse through the front-facing selfie camera on your phone, Tezel <a href="http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2017/08/18/why-you-shouldnt-take-a-selfie-during-the-solar-eclipse/">said in a news release</a>.</p><p>You can <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-2017-how-to-take-photos-of-the-eclipse-2017-8">take photos of the eclipse with your phone camera</a> without damaging the sensor, as long as you don't have a zoom lens attached - there's no danger to the camera itself.</p><p>But your phone screen can reflect ultraviolet light back into your eye, according to Tezel, potentially causing the same damage - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-retinopathy-eye-damage-sun-2017-8">solar retinopathy</a> - that looking at the sun itself can cause. Even taking a selfie without wearing eclipse glasses could reflect the sun's light back into your eyes, potentially elevating the chance of a risky moment.</p><p>"Many people will think it's safe to take a selfie with the eclipse in the background because they aren't looking directly at the sun," said Tezel. "What they may not realize is that the screen of your phone reflects the ultraviolet rays emitted during an eclipse directly toward your eye, which can result in a solar burn."</p><p><a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/how-are-eyes-damaged-staring-sun">According to NASA</a>, symptoms of injury caused by sun damage usually include blurred vision, dark or yellow spots, pain, or loss of vision in the center of the eye. That sort of damage can make it hard or impossible to read or to focus on whatever is right in the center of your view.</p><p>For some people, vision recovers within 24 hours - but there could still be damage to the eye, which could result in later problems. In general, people recover as much vision as they are going to within six months of the event, <a href="http://eyewiki.aao.org/Solar_Retinopathy">according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology</a>.</p><p>If you are within the 70-mile-wide band of totality, you can safely remove your protective glasses once the sun is totally covered. You'll know it's time because you won't be able to see anything with those glasses on. But as soon as beads of light start to re-appear, it's time to protect your eyes again. Even 1% of the sun is enough to cause damage.</p><p>If you can't find eclipse glasses, we'd recommend <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-pinhole-camera-viewer-instructions-2017-8">making a simple pinhole viewer</a> to watch safely.</p><p class="tagline"><div id="categorypromo" style="border:1px solid silver; min-height:90px; padding:10px;vertical-align:top;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/thirty-big-tech-predictions-for-2017?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_content=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_campaign=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions"></a><strong> EXCLUSIVE FREE REPORT:</strong><br />30 Big Tech Predictions by BI Intelligence. <strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/thirty-big-tech-predictions-for-2017?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_content=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions&amp;utm_campaign=iphone_ctgr_leadgen_2017-predictions">Get the Report Now »</a></strong></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-solar-eclipse-without-special-glasses-tips-tricks-2017-8">Here's the best way to watch the solar eclipse if you don't have special glasses</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

You can safely take a picture of the solar eclipse with your iPhone - but don't use the camera to watch it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Millions of Americans are expected to watch Monday's total solar eclipse.</li><li>Staring at the eclipse or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-how-to-take-pictures-photos-solar-eclipse-2024-2">taking a photo</a> without the proper protection can cause permanent eye damage.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-see-total-eclipse-convince-boss-miss-work-2024-4">Millions of Americans</a> will direct their attention toward the heavens as the moon darkens the sky and blocks the sun's light during <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-2024-total-solar-eclipse-cool-best-special-nasa-2024-1">Monday's total solar eclipse</a>.</p><p>But do not be tempted by the moon's perceived protection and risk solar retinopathy or serious and potentially blinding damage<strong> </strong>to your eyes. You could wind up with a permanent reminder of a dumb decision — one you will never be able to look away from.</p><p>The risk of solar retinopathy is heightened during <a target="_blank" href="https://www.livescience.com/20433-solar-eclipse-blind.html">solar eclipses</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://Space.com">Space.com</a> reported, because the diminished brightness of the sky makes it more comfortable to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/devil-comet-visible-during-total-solar-eclipse-how-see-2024-4">stare at the sun</a>. This means people may miss the warning signs — like rapid blinking or eye discomfort — that normally come with gazing at a ball of gas burning at 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.</p><p>You may be thinking: "Well, former <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-watching-solar-eclipse-20017-photos-2017-8">President Donald Trump looked at the eclipse in 2017,</a> and he seems fine, so I will probably be OK too."</p><p>You will not be.</p><p>You might also think that the earthquake in New Jersey is somehow <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/upcoming-solar-eclipse-not-correlated-east-coast-earthquake-2024-4">connected to the eclipse</a> or that normal, natural phenomena are somehow unpredictable and/or rare.</p> <p>They are not.</p><p>According to NASA, although the <a target="_blank" href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/">brief total phase</a> of the eclipse — when the moon completely blocks out the sun — is safe to look at, the sun's light will shine throughout most of the duration of the eclipse as the moon passes in front of it.</p><p>However, this directive specifically applies to people in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-map-nasa-where-when-see-path-of-totality-2024-3">path of totality</a>, which in the case of this eclipse,<strong> </strong>runs diagonally across the country from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/great-american-total-solar-eclipse-where-view-see-cities-visible-2024-2">Texas to Maine</a>.</p><p>Most Americans, like Trump in 2017, will be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/total-eclipse-solar-power-generation-states-outside-path-totality-2024-3">outside that path</a> when the eclipse occurs. Outside that path, there will be no safe time to look at the sun with your bare eyes.</p><div type="image" title="NASA graphic showing the United States with a dark band stretching from Texas to Maine indicating the path of totality." height="960" width="1920" msid="109110728" hostid="261"></div><p>Coastal elites: You have been warned.</p><p>And don't even think about looking at the sun with a glass viewing lens that doesn't have a "special-purpose solar filter," <a target="_blank" href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/safety/">NASA says</a>. That will cause "severe eye injury."</p><p>That means no staring at the eclipse through the viewfinder or lens of your camera, and no looking at the sun with binoculars or a telescope — unless you have purchased and installed a special solar filter. Without that filter, the lens could concentrate the sun's radiation directly into your eyeball.</p><p>It's like when a bored yet nefarious child sets an ant on fire with a magnifying glass — except in this scenario, the ant is your eyes.</p><p>You do not want your eyeballs to be the ant.</p><p>Instead, use the digital preview function on your camera.</p><p>For looking straight at the eclipse, NASA says <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/total-solar-eclipse-rare-phenomena-to-watch-2024-3">solar viewing glasses</a> — "eclipse glasses" — or a safe handheld solar viewer are the way to go. And NASA doesn't care how cool your shades look — sunglasses are nowhere near protective enough.</p><div type="image" title="Mrs. and Mr. Trump demonstrate the correct way to view an eclipse." height="839" width="1024" msid="109110729" hostid="261"></div><p>The American Astronomical Society has a <a target="_blank" href="https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters">list of approved eye protection for the eclipse</a> and warns consumers to steer clear of <a target="_blank" href="https://aas.org/press/american-astronomical-society-warns-counterfeit-fake-eclipse-glasses">potential counterfeits</a>. If your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-roasting-boomers-gen-x-shopping-temu-victims-2024-2">Temu mom</a> shows up with a package of eclipse glasses, you may want to take them away from her.</p><p>"We do not recommend searching for eclipse glasses on Amazon, eBay, Temu, or any other online marketplace and buying from whichever vendor offers the lowest price," the AAS writes. "Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page."</p><p>Then, of course, there's the ever-present danger of skin cancer. Even with the moon creeping in front of it, the sun is still bombarding you with UV radiation that can increase your risk of melanoma or (gasp!) the appearance of aging on your skin.</p><p>So, just like any other day, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-sunscreen-why-wear-2024-4">don't forget to wear sunscreen</a>.</p><p>And don't count on the clouds to protect your skin. Though they reduce the light you can see, they do nothing to block the invisible UV radiation that does the damage.</p>

Please don't stare into the eclipse

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Online searches reporting eye discomfort spiked during the eclipse, according to Google Trends.</li><li>Many of those searches came from states in or near the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-map-nasa-where-when-see-path-of-totality-2024-3">eclipse's path of totality</a>.</li></ul><p>Large swathes of the US took time out of their day to view Monday's solar eclipse, which brought out awestruck <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-photos-totality-us-2024-4#at-niagara-falls-which-was-in-the-path-of-totality-the-sky-filled-with-blue-and-orange-colors-reminiscent-of-a-sunset-11">crowds from Texas to Maine</a>.</p><p>And apparently, a good amount of people feared they might have damaged their eyesight in the process.</p><p>Google searches for "eyes hurt" spiked around the time of the eclipse, suggesting that viewers of the eclipse were worried their discomfort might mean something more serious.</p><div type="image" title="Spike in Google searches. of &quot;eyes hurt&quot; during 2023 solar eclipse" height="560" width="2266" msid="109173353" hostid="261" sizebytes="18826"></div><p>Searches peaked at 3:12 p.m. ET — about 45 mins after the path of the eclipse crossed into Texas from Mexico — and had largely returned to normal levels by 5 p.m on Monday.</p><p>Most of those searches were concentrated in states in or near the path of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-diagram-2017-8">totality</a> — where the moon fully blocked out the sun — which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-map-nasa-where-when-see-path-of-totality-2024-3">cut through some of the most populated regions</a> in the Midwestern and Northeastern US. Over 30 million people from those regions were able to witness the extraordinary event.</p><p>Vermont, a state nearly bisected by the path of totality, reported the most searches from people presumably concerned about their retinas. Most of those searches were in the northern Burlington metropolitan area, according to Google Trends.</p> <p>The Green Mountain State was followed by West Virginia, which, though not within the immediate path of totality, had 90 search hits for every 100 in Vermont. New Hampshire, Michigan, and Ohio — which did manage to see the full eclipse — were all close behind.</p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2024-04-07T05%202024-04-09T13&amp;geo=US&amp;q=eyes%20hurt&amp;hl=en">metro area</a> most concerned with its own eyesight was Presque Isle, Maine, at the far northeastern tip of the country, followed by Plattsburgh, West Virginia, and Alpena, Michigan.</p><p>Solar eclipses <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/is-the-solar-eclipse-dangerous-2024-4">can cause serious vision problems</a> if viewed without the proper safety measures.</p><p>However, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, pain or discomfort immediately after viewing the eclipse is not necessarily indicative of serious eye damage.</p><p>"If your eyes feel a little funny after an eclipse, it may not be a sign of solar retinopathy. Damage from the eclipse is unlikely to cause pain or discomfort in your eyes because the retina does not have any pain nerves," the group <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/think-you-hurt-your-eyes-watching-eclipse">says</a>.</p><p>Serious damage, eye doctors say, would likely manifest in visual symptoms — like blind spots or blurry vision — within four to six hours of the event.</p><p>Chances are, if you took enough precautions — such as wearing ISO-certified solar viewing glasses or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-solar-eclipse-safely-without-glasses-2024-4">an appropriate alternative</a> — your eyesight is probably fine. But it can't hurt to get your eyes checked if you're experiencing prolonged discomfort.</p>

There was a huge spike in people Googling that their 'eyes hurt' during the eclipse

As a child, most of us have tried <keyword id="1015759" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Staring-at-the-Sun">staring at the sun</keyword> maybe just as a challenge to ourselves or to prove our elders wrong. However, science truly opposes your idea of fun and here’s why.<br /><br /><br /><strong>What happens when you <keyword id="8443814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="stare-at-the-sun">stare at the sun</keyword>?</strong><br /><br /><br /><strong>An experiment </strong><br /><br />Just to get an idea of what exactly would happen if you watched the <keyword id="24879" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sun">sun</keyword> through the telescope, an astronomer placed a pig behind the telescope. The eye of the pig got burned in a mere 20 seconds! <br /><br /><br /><strong>Normal visual process</strong><br /><br />In a concept similar to how our vision processes, one can only see something when the object reflects off light. This light then passes through the cornea of our eyes and reaches the retina. Retina is that part of the eye which contains cells that are sensitive to light and pass on this information to the brain for it to perceive.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Effect of sun on your eyes</strong><br /><br />The light from the sun is nearly 4000 times that of a light bulb. A short exposure can cause a hazy vision for sometime due to numbing of the retinoctyes. <br /><br />A prolonged exposure can lead to serious issues including burning of the retina, called retinopathy. This may cost you your normal vision.<br /><br /><br /><strong>No pain receptors in the eye</strong><br /><br />Since there are no pain receptors in the eye, one wouldn’t realise the impact of the sun rays. Two things might affect you the worst. UV rays and bright light, equally damage your eye, similar to a sun tan. This condition is then called as solar retinitis. A more permanent condition, causing loss of vision is called as solar retinopathy. This happens in the rare cases of prolonged gazing at the sun during a solar eclipse.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Eclipse and sun rays</strong><br /><br />One might think it is safe to stare at the sun during an eclipse, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Although the sun is shadowed out during an eclipse, the more concentrated rays still do affect your vision nearly the same!<br /><br /><br />Sun is the brightest star of our solar system and it lives up to its reputation. If you’re really keen on star gazing, try those which are far away from us and keep twinkling away in the night!<br /><br /><br /><br />

Staring at the sun is a bad idea - here’s why

<p>Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have&#xa0;taken&#xa0;a big risk watching <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/solar-eclipse">the eclipse</a> on Monday.&#xa0;</p><p>Musk&#xa0;said via Twitter that he watched the solar eclipse wearing sunglasses through the glass roof of his Tesla Model S.&#xa0;</p><p>It's not clear whether Musk meant eclipse sunglasses or actual sunglasses, but if it's the latter, he might have done some serious damage to his eyes.&#xa0;</p><p>As my colleague <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-retinopathy-eye-damage-sun-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kevin Loria pointed out</a>, "Ultraviolet light from the sun can penetrate and be absorbed into your retina, causing a condition that eye doctors call solar retinopathy."</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-2017-how-to-know-if-solar-eclipse-glasses-are-safe-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out the full list of eyewear that is safe to wear during an eclipse here</a>.&#xa0;</p><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-perseid-meteor-shower-total-solar-eclipse-august-2017-8">How to watch a spectacular meteor shower and solar eclipse this month</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Elon Musk may have done the one thing you're not supposed to do during an eclipse

<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all know the harmful effects of the sun touching our skin, so we ready ourselves with sunscreen to block the rays. But what about our eyes? What would happen if we happened to stare directly at the sun? </span></span><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following is a transcript of the video.</span></span></p><p><span>Whether it's to map the stars, spy on other planets, or study the sun, humans have been looking to the skies for millennia. But some objects are safer to observe than others. <br /><br />For example, astronomer Mark Thompson put a pig's eye behind a regular telescope aimed at the sun and it burned a hole straight through the lens in about 20 seconds.</span></p><p><span>Now, looking at the sun through a telescope is an especially terrible idea but just how bad is it to glance up with the naked eye?</span></p><p><span>On a clear day, the sun shines up to 5,000 times brighter than an average light bulb. When something that bright strikes your eye, a few things can happen.</span></p><p><span>If it's only for a moment, the worst you'll experience is a blurry splotch on your vision called an after image. </span></p><p><span>Normally, light reaches the retina at the back of your eye, where it triggers photoreceptors that relay the information to your brain. This is how you are able to see anything.</span></p><p><span>But bombard them with too much light at once, and you can actually damage the cells and proteins that help them process light. Since your retina has no pain receptors, the damage won't hurt, but it will leave that blurry splotch on your vision.</span></p><p><span>Usually, it clears up in a few minutes that is, unless you keep staring.</span></p><p><span>Now, you're doing more than just overloading your retina. For starters, you're giving your eyes an abnormally high dose of UV radiation the same stuff that causes sunburns. </span><span>Like your skin, the cornea at the front of your eye can also burn. And that will hurt.</span></p><p><span>The cornea protects the rest of your eye and is therefore covered in pain receptors that alert you whenever a pesky eyelash is on the loose. <br /><br />But UV radiation isn't the only issue. Too much visible light can penetrate your eye and damage the retinal tissue, which causes a condition called solar retinitis. This means parts of your retina can no longer process light normally, so you can end up with entire chunks of your vision blurred out.<br /><br />Depending on the extent of the damage, recovery can take weeks, months, and in severe cases over a year. But in rare cases, the damage is so extreme it never heals, leading to a rare condition called solar retinopathy. This usually only shows up in reckless eclipse gazers.<br /><br />Turns out, during a solar eclipse, most of the sun's light is blocked, which actually can trick your brain into thinking it's safe to stare.<br /><br />Normally, our bodies have a built-in defense mechanism against staring at the sun. Specifically, when we squint we look up, which minimizes the amount of light coming in and protects our cornea and retina.<br /><br />But during a solar eclipse, the sun doesn't appear bright enough to trigger our defense mechanisms so we can end up staring for longer than is safe.<br /><br />Suffice it to say, there's nothing good about staring at the sun. So do your eyes a favor and avoid looking at it.<br /><br />After all, there are around 6,000 stars in the night sky you can safely observe for as long as you wish.<br /></span></p><p> </p>

You Searched For "solar retinopathy" and got 11 results

Does a solar eclipse really impact your health?

BI India Bureau

What looking at the solar eclipse without glasses could do to your eyes

Kevin Loria

How to safely watch the solar eclipse - even if you're not in the line of totality

Dave Mosher

If your eyes hurt after watching the solar eclipse, here's what you need to know

Kevin Loria

'NOT TOO BRIGHT': New York Daily News jabs Trump for ignoring solar eclipse warnings

Madeleine Sheehan Perkins

You can safely take a picture of the solar eclipse with your iPhone - but don't use the camera to watch it

Kevin Loria

Please don't stare into the eclipse

Hannah Getahun,Chris Kaye

There was a huge spike in people Googling that their 'eyes hurt' during the eclipse

Camilo Fonseca

Staring at the sun is a bad idea - here’s why

BI India Bureau

Elon Musk may have done the one thing you're not supposed to do during an eclipse

Cadie Thompson

What happens when you stare at the sun

Uma Sharma,Jordan Bowman

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides