12/08/2026
🌑 The eclipse: a spectacular view — but what happens to the eye?
As the Moon passes in front of the sun today, it’s tempting to think that the reduced brightness makes looking at the eclipse safer. In fact, the opposite can be true.
Even when much of the sun is obscured, the remaining sunlight is still intense enough to cause solar retinopathy - photochemical and thermal injury to the retina caused by staring directly at the sun. What makes it particularly concerning is that retinal damage can occur without pain, and visual symptoms may not appear until hours or even days later.
For eye-care professionals, an eclipse is also a striking reminder of just how precisely the retina responds to light - and how valuable high-resolution retinal imaging can be when assessing subtle changes at the macula.
So, as we look skywards this evening, let’s make sure we’re protecting the very structures that make that view possible. 👁️🌑
Never look directly at the sun. Use appropriate ISO 12312-2 compliant solar viewing protection, or view the eclipse indirectly. Ordinary sunglasses are not sufficient.