You looked at the eclipse without glasses. How do you know if your eyes have been damaged?

In the weeks leading up to Monday’s complete solar eclipse, eye doctors have repeated the same advice: Don’t look at the eclipse without proper eye protection.

But it’s likely that some people didn’t get the message, or thought that regular sunglasses could get the job done, or bought knockoff eclipse glasses online.

The Star-Telegram talked to eye doctors about what looking at a solar eclipse actually does to human eyes and how to know if the eclipse has left you with eye damage.

What does looking at a solar eclipse actually do to the eyes, anyway?

Solar eclipses, and other sources of intense, bright light, can cause damage to the eye’s retina, which is the layer of cells on the back of the eye. The retina has special cells that sense light and communicate information to the brain.

But, the retina doesn’t have any way to sense pain, said Dimitrios Karamichos, Ph.D., the executive director and endowed chair of the North Texas Eye Research Institute, meaning that when you’re staring into a bright source of light, you won’t feel the damage until it’s too late.

Staring at the sun, a solar eclipse, or other forms of intense light like lasers can effectively burn cells in your retina, said Dr. Jennifer Deakins, the director of Fort Worth’s Community Eye Clinic.

But I looked at the eclipse while wearing my sunglasses! And it was cloudy! And it was only for a few seconds!

Unfortunately, the only safe way to look at a solar eclipse is by using ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses.

Looking at the eclipse while wearing sunglasses or through your phone’ s camera are not necessarily safe, said Karamichos, who is also the interim dean of the School of Biomedical Sciences at UNT Health Science Center. Sunglasses do not filter out enough of the rays that are coming through, and if you look at the eclipse through your phone, you still risk damaging your eyes through your peripheral vision.

A cloudy sky also won’t necessarily protect your eyes, Deakins said.

“The clouds do not provide the type of protection that we will be looking for to keep the eyes from being damaged,” she said.

What signs should I look for to know whether my eyes have been damaged?

You might notice damage to your eyes soon after looking at the eclipse or not until the following day, Karamichos said.

Someone with eye damage might experience distortion, dark spots in the central line of vision, loss of sharpness.

Any of these symptoms are “probably your clue to seek medical attention,” Karamichos said.

Deakins agreed, saying that “any change in vision that a person experiences after they thought they stared at the sun too long,” is a possibly symptom of solar retinopathy.

Unfortunately, there is no medical treatment for damaged retina cells, Karamichos said. However, it is possible for the damaged cells to regain some of their function, or for your brain to adapt, Deakins said.

“Sometimes the brain will learn to adapt to have a blind spot in the vision,” she said.

This story was originally published April 8, 2024 at 12:00 AM.

Ciara McCarthy

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

817-203-4391

Ciara McCarthy covers health and wellness as part of the Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab. She came to Fort Worth after three years in Victoria, Texas, where she worked at the Victoria Advocate. Ciara is focused on equipping people and communities with information they need to make decisions about their lives and well-being. Please reach out with your questions about public health or the health care system. Email cmccarthy@star-telegram.com or call or text 817-203-4391.