Philadelphia doctors explain importance of protecting your eyes during upcoming solar eclipse
Doctors say staring at the solar eclipse can cause severe eye injury, ranging from impaired vision to permanent blindness.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Local doctors are warning anyone interested in looking at the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, to get their protective eyewear now.
Action News spoke with Dr. Joel Schuman, an ophthalmologist at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
"The visible light, that normally would be blinding to us, temporarily isn't there. It's blocked by the moon," he said. "So, that allows us to stare at the sun without feeling that we're actually getting harmed."
But, Dr. Schuman said staring at the solar eclipse can cause severe eye injury, ranging from temporarily impaired vision to permanent blindness.
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"You would burn the part of the retina that has the most sensitive, sharpest vision because you're looking directly at the sun," he explained.
Dr. Schuman said that would lead to what is called "solar retinopathy," which occurs when intense light energy injures or damages the retina and causes permanent damage.
"It can take somebody a very short time, even seconds, from seeing 20/20 to seeing 20/200," Dr. Schuman said.
Doctors suggest people get a pair of eclipse glasses, approved by the U.S. International Standards Organization, to protect themselves. They will have the sequence "ISO 12312-2" on them.
The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved retailers where you can purchase solar eclipse glasses and filters.
Dr. Schuman said you will need a special filter on a telescope, camera, or cellphone to capture the eclipse. He said taking pictures or videos of the phenomenon without proper protection for the phone can damage a sensor.
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If you have old eclipse glasses from the 2017 eclipse, doctors say you can use them as long as they are not damaged or warped.
At St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, they are handing out eclipse glasses to patients.
Dr. Julia Runco, an optometrist at the hospital, says eye protection is critically important in our area because we are set to experience a partial eclipse.
"With the partial ones, you are still getting part of that harmful UV and infrared radiation from the sun," Dr. Runco said. "So, you actually have to be more careful with the partial eclipse than the total eclipse."
