Solar Eclipse.. Eye Damage May Not Appear Until Hours Later - Sarmad

Eye specialists have warned against the dangers of looking directly at the sun during an eclipse, urging those who observed the eclipse on Wednesday to be alert for any changes in vision in the hours that follow.

Symptoms may include blurred vision, the appearance of a blind or dark spot in the center of the visual field, and increased sensitivity to light. A person may not necessarily realize that damage has occurred at the time, as symptoms can appear several hours later, according to the BBC.

The danger lies in the fact that looking directly at the sun can cause damage to the retina, the sensitive layer at the back of the eye, particularly the cells responsible for sharp central vision.

Alexander Ionides, an ophthalmic surgeon consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, said that symptoms may begin to appear within a few hours, noting that the most prominent is the appearance of a spot or distortion in the center of the visual field.