After a total solar eclipse moved across the United States Monday, many took to social media to complain about pain in their eyes.
Those who looked at the solar eclipse without eye protection for too long quickly took to the internet, looking for a quick solution to their eye pain. Google Trends documented the spike in “why do my eyes hurt” or “eyes hurt” related search inquiries as the total solar eclipse ended.
If you did look up during the solar eclipse without proper eye protection, here’s what you should know.
These are the symptoms of eye damage people should look out for:
- Blurry vision
- Headache
- A blind spot in your central vision in one or both eyes
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Distorted vision, such as a straight line appearing bent or a door jamb looking curvy
- Changes in the way you see color or dyschromatopsia
Experts advise people not to panic even if they experience any of these symptoms since the effect could be temporary.
In other cases, if your eyes feel off after looking at the total solar eclipse without proper eye protection, it could be a sign of solar retinopathy, when light damages the retina, according to The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Some may not know they are experiencing solar retinopathy until hours after exposure. Experts shared that visual symptoms usually begin within six hours, but some can experience them after 12 hours.
Experts advise anyone experiencing discomfort to schedule an appointment with their ophthalmologist.
The next total solar eclipse with a coast-to-coast path isn’t supposed to happen until Aug. 12, 2045, according to NASA.