NEW YORK—This week’s solar eclipse generated a ton of interest because of its rarity. The last eclipse to hit North America was in 1979 and the last one to cross the country from coast to coast was last seen in 1918. As VMail previously reported, ECPs, organizations and associations were vehement about warning the public of solar retinopathy, also known as eclipse blindness.
Prevent Blindness, the American Optometric Association, NASA and the American Academy of Ophthalmology were just some of the associations that enforced the importance of safety eyewear. With faulty glasses hitting the market weeks before the event, the American Astronomical Society took an extra measure and issued a list of reputable vendors of solar filters and viewers to make sure watchers used the appropriate, ISO-certified lenses for watching as well as taking photos.
Now that the eclipse is over, experts are turning their attentions to potential post-eclipse damage. According to the Barriere Star Journal, Google searches for “eyes hurt,” “eyes hurt eclipse,” “eclipse hurt your eyes” and “does eclipse hurt your eyes,” skyrocketed online, immediately following the event, with people worried they may have caused some damage to their eyes.
While looking at the eclipse without glasses causes solar retinopathy, a momentary glimpse may not cause any damage. Ralph Chou, OD, MSc. and professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo in Canada spoke to NPR regarding eye damage due to eclipse watching. “It takes at least 12 hours before we can tell if anything has happened. The thing is, if people just saw the sun briefly without a protective filter—just a fraction of a second—the chances they've hurt themselves are very low,” Dr. Chou stated. “If, for some reason, they forgot to use their filters entirely—well, [permanent damage is] always a possibility, but I would hope that after all the publicity, that didn't happen.”
Other eyecare professionals also gave advice on post-eclipse eye health. At the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Avnish Deobhakta, MD, has already begun seeing patients worried about possible damage. While most patients have not had any permanent issues, few have been found to have some retinal changes that require monitoring, he stated.
Linda Chous, OD, and chief eyecare officer for UnitedHealthcare reminds patients that symptoms can occur over varying periods of time. “There are often no immediate signs of eye damage after viewing an eclipse without proper eye protection,” she told NBC Chicago. “Symptoms can occur immediately, within several hours or even weeks after exposure. Potential signs of damage include sensitivity to light, eye pain and loss of vision in one or both eyes.”
As an extra precaution, hospitals across the nation increased emergency and acute care staff, in preparation for a surge in patients post-eclipse. However, the eclipse did not result in a surge of patients who were blinded after staring directly at the sun, nor did it result in an increase of patients hospitals normally see during any large scale event.
According to Stat News, the St. Charles Health System in central Ore., Red Bud Regional Hospital in Ill., and Palmetto Health in S.C. were among the institutions that added staff and wound up not needing them. “The upshot is we have not seen what we anticipated in terms of health care demand,” said Jeff Absalon, MD, chief physician executive at St. Charles in Ore. “We tracked this in other circumstances where the influx of people equaled increased demand for services. We just haven’t experienced that.”
While effects of the Great American Eclipse are still being gauged, there is no doubt that it drew the attention of both science enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. On Main Street, some ECPs held viewing parties, some took time out from their regular workdays and others made eclipse watching a family affair. Check out these photos and see how some ECPs across the U.S. put a spin on eclipse viewing.
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Toronto’s College Street Optical used their Facebook as a vehicle to promote further safety awareness.
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Dr. Morra of N.Y’s Metro Eye MD took an eclipse selfie.
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In Warrensburg, Mo., Insight EyeCare led by example and rocked the eclipse glasses.
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Pennsylvania’s Kissel Eye Care used one last opportunity to encourage patients to protect their eyes.
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Metrovision Optical Boutique, in White Plains, N.Y., reminded everyone to take care of their fury friends as well.
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Miami’s Optiwow used some serious Photoshop talent for their eclipse post.
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VisionFirst’s Hillview, Ky., office took a minute out of their day to enjoy the eclipse.