For the first time
in U.S. history, a solar eclipse will travel exclusively across
America, enabling millions of people to view the moon block out the sun on Aug.
21. But those who watch this rare celestial event need to take precautions,
because staring right at the sun can quickly harm your eyes.
“Looking directly at the sun is unsafe except during the brief
total phase of a solar eclipse (“totality”), when the moon entirely blocks the
sun’s bright face, which will happen only within the narrow path of totality,”
NASA explains on its
website. “The only
safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is
through special-purpose solar filters, such as“eclipse
glasses.”’
The path of totality, which is about 70 miles wide, is viewable
from parts of 14 states, as shown on this solar eclipse
map, and only lasts a maximum of two minutes and 40 seconds,according to NASA. Before
and after the total solar eclipse, those in its path will see a partial
eclipse, in which the moon only partly blocks the sun. The rest of the country
will also see a partial eclipse — so essentially, everyone needs to prepare
themselves to view the eclipse safely.
Here’s what you need to know about why a solar eclipse hurts
your eyes and how to protect your eyes effectively:
Why
Does a Solar Eclipse Damage My Eyes?
According to experts, viewing the sun with your naked eye during
the eclipse can burn your retina, damaging the images your brain can view. This
phenomenon, known as “eclipse blindness,” can cause temporary or permanent
vision impairment, and in worst-case scenarios can lead to legal blindness,
which entails significant loss of vision.
“If people look without the proper protection [at the sun], they
run the risk of injuring their eyes. And if they get an injury, depending on
how often and how long they look at the sun without the protection, they do
have a substantial risk of developing a permanent loss of vision,” said Dr. B.
Ralph Chou, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and a former
optometry professor. It is not possible to go completely blind from looking at
the eclipse, Chou said, because the injury is limited to the central part of
your visual field.
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