Protecting your eyesight during a solar eclipse is essential because these events generate a lot of ultraviolet and infrared radiation. You don’t want eye damage due to the bright light, so always wear protective eyewear or shades when viewing one. Eye damage can occur in different ways. The retina can be damaged by direct radiation or particles and rays traveling through the eye. If these particles touch the retina, they will be damaged over time. Here are some reasons why it’s essential to protect your eyesight when viewing a solar eclipse.
1. Skin Cancer
Solar storms and flares send out ultraviolet radiation that gets absorbed into the Earth’s atmosphere. These rays come in the form of visible light, as well as ultraviolet A (UVA), B (UVB), and C (UVC) radiation. UVC radiation is the most harmful because it sterilizes drinking water. Since a solar eclipse generates ultraviolet radiation, which can damage your skin, you should never look at the sun with your naked eye during an eclipse. Doing so can lead to cataracts and damage your eyes permanently or cause blindness. Always wear protective shades or eyewear when viewing the eclipse to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays.
2. Cataracts
Another harmful thing about viewing a solar eclipse is that it will cause damage to your eyes. Damage to your eyes can lead to blindness and even cataracts. When you look at the sun without wearing protective glasses, you damage your retina, which is the part of your eye that allows light in. The retina has several layers, so when it becomes damaged, it can cause problems with night vision, image sharpness, and color sensitivity.
3. Photokeratitis
Photokeratitis is also known as ‘snow blindness,’ and it’s a condition that’s caused by eye irritation. Eye irritation can cause inflammation of your eyes, leading to pain and blurry vision. You should always wear protective shades or eyewear during a solar eclipse because you don’t want your eyes to suffer from photokeratitis. Sunglasses are the best protection for the look and provide shielding against UV light, regardless of its direction.
4. Surfer’s Eye
Surfer’s eye is a condition caused by long-term exposure to UV rays. This leads to a situation that’s common among surfers and scuba divers. It causes damage to the cornea, which is the transparent front part of your eyes. Some people are more prone to suffer from this eye injury, so it’s best to protect your eyes when viewing an eclipse. Sunglasses are often recommended because they protect the eye from all sun rays, no matter their angle.
It would help if you never looked at the sun directly with your naked eye because it can cause severe damage to your cornea and may even make you go blind forever. During a solar eclipse, you should always wear protective eyewear to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Consider its wavelength ratio when looking for protective eyewear for viewing a solar eclipse. The wavelength ratio is a measurement that represents how much light your eye absorbs when you view an object with visible light. Objects with a low wavelength ratio are best viewed directly because they don’t absorb as much light as things with high wavelength ratios.
