to caution! What happens to your eyes if you look directly at a solar eclipse?

he Solar eclipse cancellation Next October 14 It represents a unique opportunity to appreciate an important event that will not be repeated in the Puerto Rico region until the year 2038. However, if you do not follow the necessary precautions when observing it, your vision could be irreparably damaged. Below we explain what could happen to your eyes if you directly observe a solar eclipse and what measures you should take to enjoy this astronomical event safely.

“If people observe the eclipse, without due caution, lifelong burns and irreparable damage to the retina may occur.”The ophthalmologist confirmed Celia de Lourdes Feliciano In an interview with The new day.

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De Lourdes Feliciano highlighted that the eyes contain a crystalline lens that, in addition to helping with focusing, also focuses visible light and directs it toward the back of the eye, called the retina. He added that there is a specific area in the retina known as the macula, which is responsible for housing the cells that respond to color and vision, and for this reason it is the area that tends to be most affected during sunburn.

Although the damage may be irreversible, its appearance will not be immediate. ”The person will not realize this because the effect will be received hours later, when he begins to perceive the central points (…) or he may have problems recognizing colors or shapes of objects or perceiving blurred vision.”warned the former president of the College of Optometrists of Puerto Rico.

Since the retina does not contain pain receptors, a person watching a solar eclipse without proper protection and damage will not feel any pain.

As a result, a person may become permanently blind in the central area of ​​the retina. “I don’t want to say it’s complete blindness. It is permanent blindness because the area of ​​better vision is burned out and the person remains with a spot or the inability to perceive things from the front throughout his life.He pointed out.

“When the person goes for examination, we find that what happened was A Solar retinopathy “Which, by the way, could happen, even if there was no eclipse, if a person looked directly at the sun at any time. That’s why you can never look directly at the sun.”

However, he noted, the difference is that when observing a solar eclipse, people intentionally direct their gaze toward the star for a long period of time. This means that observing the sun directly can cause burns, but looking at the star during a solar eclipse may involve greater damage and risk.

“Burning is not a matter of hours. It’s a matter of seconds. The doctor stressed that you should continue to look and let the sun’s rays enter directly into your eyes.

How can you safely observe the eclipse?

To appreciate this phenomenon responsibly, it is necessary to have specialized optical equipment such as glasses with filtered lenses that meet or exceed standards. ISO 12312-2 Subordinate International Organization for Standardization (ISO), De Lourdes Feliciano reported.

However, comment that the manufacturers of these filters recommend this Do not look directly at the sun while wearing it for more than three consecutive minutes.

When obtaining this equipment, if you want to purchase it online, it is important to make sure you do research on the suppliers that the company recommends. The National Center for Aeronautics and Space Administration (a pot).

Likewise, people can choose a No. 14 welding filter and binoculars or telescopes that have the specialized filter built-in as specified by the manufacturer, the ophthalmologist noted.

He stressed that it is not possible to use regular glasses, polarized glasses, or glasses with photochromic lenses, commonly known as smart glasses, because in dark areas they become light, and after exposure to the sun they become dark.

”The damage that can be done is forever. Nothing we use in everyday life to protect ourselves from all that solar radiation on the street is like looking directly at the sun.And highlighted.

The doctor also shared that people can create devices like solar projectors using household materials. However, when creating it, it is important to follow each step.

[Conoce aquí cómo crear un proyector con una caja de cereal]

Another alternative to enjoy this event responsibly is to watch it through the media and social networks.

What you should not do when observing the eclipse

De Lourdes Feliciano noted that, If people have specialized glasses that they have used in previous eclipses, they should not reuse them, because it is not known if the filter is in proper condition..

Combinations between optical devices are also not possible. In order to monitor astronomical phenomena. In other words, if you own a telescope and it doesn’t have the manufacturer’s designated filter, you can’t put specialized glasses on top of the lens to enjoy the view.

He even commented that taking A Selfies can also cause eye burn If the person does not have adequate protection. “The cell phone does not have a filter, so the sunlight will be focused on the cell phone screen in a way that acts as a mirror,” he explained.

During this astronomical event, there must be a certain event Caution with childrenHe pointed out that eye protection must be supervised not to be removed at any time.

“If we want to enjoy the natural event, we must do it responsibly and we must follow all these instructions.”concluded De Lourdes Feliciano.