samantha25
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,914 
|
Post by samantha25 on Aug 19, 2017 0:11:11 GMT
Just wondering if there's been reports of eye injuries after viewing previous eclipses, 1979? I understand the importance of schools, etc... promoting eye health and safe viewing, but have not seen any stories about "real" situations of what actually happened... only potential risks. Please point me to "real" stories... There's always a risk in something. Just wondering, I'm not endorsing viewing without protection, just wondering... Thinking about Christmas Story... "you'll poke your eye out kid, if you get a bb gun" Cheers... all in fun..
|
|
freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
|
Post by freebird on Aug 19, 2017 0:12:14 GMT
I just read one today of a guy who damaged his left eye in '63 (I think). He has a blind spot in that eye from looking at the sun during partial eclipse for about 20 seconds. I don't have the link though.
|
|
happymomma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,078
|
Post by happymomma on Aug 19, 2017 0:13:22 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Aug 19, 2017 0:15:35 GMT
I don't have any personal experience but I remember making "eclipse viewers" in school out of a card and a pinhole. We were told not to look at the sun, to use the viewer. I'm pretty sure I did both, but obviously I didn't look too long because nothing happened. I think if this was common we would have had a lot more blind kids in 1979. I was seven and had enough sense to look away when it was too bright.
|
|
milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,438
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
|
Post by milocat on Aug 19, 2017 0:49:33 GMT
science/2017/08/heres-what-happens-to-your-retina-if-you-view-an-eclipse-without-protection/?amp=1 this article has another link to a study about eye damage in 1999
|
|
milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,438
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
|
Post by milocat on Aug 19, 2017 0:50:34 GMT
|
|
JustTricia
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,829
Location: Indianapolis
|
Post by JustTricia on Aug 19, 2017 0:51:48 GMT
|
|
JustTricia
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,829
Location: Indianapolis
|
Post by JustTricia on Aug 19, 2017 0:56:42 GMT
Can I ask a serious question? I have seen posts on here, on Facebook, stories on the news, and in the papers for weeks lecturing about how dangerous an eclipse can be. Do you think it's fake news?
|
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Aug 19, 2017 0:59:06 GMT
I don't have any personal experience but I remember making "eclipse viewers" in school out of a card and a pinhole. We were told not to look at the sun, to use the viewer. I'm pretty sure I did both, but obviously I didn't look too long because nothing happened. I think if this was common we would have had a lot more blind kids in 1979. I was seven and had enough sense to look away when it was too bright. We did this too. Also looked right at the sun. We were told our pupils would burn up. I am a survivor! |
|
|
|
Post by cindytred on Aug 19, 2017 1:09:44 GMT
I really don't see how looking at the sun during an eclipse is any different than looking at the sun at any other time. How can the sun be any stronger/brighter during an eclipse? It can't.
I think the danger lies in staring at the sun looking for the eclipse to happen, and staring while it is happening. If you do that you could potentially be looking at the sun for 10 minutes or longer - which can't be good for your eyes. This is true if there is an eclipse or not. Right?
Our school district has notified parents that if they feel they should keep their children home on Monday that they WILL BE excused. So today we had a lesson on what the eclipse is, why it happens, and why you should not look at the sun during an eclipse or on any day. I teach 3rd grade. I also told them that I will be teaching as usual on Monday and if they miss it I won't have time to reteach what they missed.
As I type this, I'm thinking about times when I've looked directly at the sun - which has been during sunsets. I'm not blind.
|
|
johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,682
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
|
Post by johnnysmom on Aug 19, 2017 1:20:44 GMT
I really don't see how looking at the sun during an eclipse is any different than looking at the sun at any other time. How can the sun be any stronger/brighter during an eclipse? It can't.
I think the danger lies in staring at the sun looking for the eclipse to happen, and staring while it is happening. If you do that you could potentially be looking at the sun for 10 minutes or longer - which can't be good for your eyes. This is true if there is an eclipse or not. Right?
Our school district has notified parents that if they feel they should keep their children home on Monday that they WILL BE excused. So today we had a lesson on what the eclipse is, why it happens, and why you should not look at the sun during an eclipse or on any day. I teach 3rd grade. I also told them that I will be teaching as usual on Monday and if they miss it I won't have time to reteach what they missed.
As I type this, I'm thinking about times when I've looked directly at the sun - which has been during sunsets. I'm not blind.
It's my understanding that your eyes typically protect themselves by hurting, forcing you to look away. During an eclipse (I'm assuming because so much of the sun is blocked) , the eyes don't hurt therefore you aren't forced to look away. |
|
|
|
Post by Woobster on Aug 19, 2017 1:32:13 GMT
I had a science teacher as a kid that had some pretty significant vision impairment as a result of an eclipse. He was a strange man.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Aug 19, 2017 2:08:21 GMT
Can I ask a serious question? I have seen posts on here, on Facebook, stories on the news, and in the papers for weeks lecturing about how dangerous an eclipse can be. Do you think it's fake news? Dangerous in what way? I believe the stories/anecdotes/what have you that suggest they might cause traffic problems, mostly because so many drivers have difficulty driving on a normal day.  But other than that and the eye thing, I've not heard much (anything, I guess) about other potential dangers. |
|
|
|
Post by refugeepea on Aug 19, 2017 2:20:41 GMT
There's a young adult book, Mosquitoland (yes I know fiction, but damage absolutely can happen) about a teen girl who permanently damages her eye that way. You have to read the book, but I kind of giggled when she described how it happened. It was really stupid.
|
|
|
|
Post by hop2 on Aug 19, 2017 2:21:32 GMT
Can I ask a serious question? I have seen posts on here, on Facebook, stories on the news, and in the papers for weeks lecturing about how dangerous an eclipse can be. Do you think it's fake news? depends on what they are saying is dangerous. Retinal damage from looking at the sun too long, w/o protection etc - yes true and can happen any time not just during the eclipse Danger from people being distracted while driving - yes, some people are stupid so that's a real danger. But things like 'extra' radiation? That makes no sense the sun is no more intense during an eclipse. If there are issues with the suns radistiin those issues are there every day. Needing to stay indoors with shades down due to flares? Well perhaps but sunflares are not specifically connected to an eclipse. So fearing it during the eclipse makes no sense- a flare can happen anytime. There are real dangers associated with an eclipse but there are also many old wives tales. |
|
|
|
Post by femalebusiness on Aug 19, 2017 3:00:11 GMT
I don't have any personal experience but I remember making "eclipse viewers" in school out of a card and a pinhole. We were told not to look at the sun, to use the viewer. I'm pretty sure I did both, but obviously I didn't look too long because nothing happened. I think if this was common we would have had a lot more blind kids in 1979. I was seven and had enough sense to look away when it was too bright. I remember as a kid having contests to see who could look at the sun the longest (not during an eclipse). No one could look at it for more that a fraction of a second, so viewing is self limiting. I think the problem with the eclipse is that is will be dim enough that one could look at it long enough to do damage. I do have a couple of those teenie, tiny black floaters in one of my eyes, maybe it is damage from when I was a kid. |
|
|
|
Post by SallyPA on Aug 19, 2017 5:13:14 GMT
I really don't see how looking at the sun during an eclipse is any different than looking at the sun at any other time. How can the sun be any stronger/brighter during an eclipse? It can't.
I think the danger lies in staring at the sun looking for the eclipse to happen, and staring while it is happening. If you do that you could potentially be looking at the sun for 10 minutes or longer - which can't be good for your eyes. This is true if there is an eclipse or not. Right?
Our school district has notified parents that if they feel they should keep their children home on Monday that they WILL BE excused. So today we had a lesson on what the eclipse is, why it happens, and why you should not look at the sun during an eclipse or on any day. I teach 3rd grade. I also told them that I will be teaching as usual on Monday and if they miss it I won't have time to reteach what they missed.
As I type this, I'm thinking about times when I've looked directly at the sun - which has been during sunsets. I'm not blind.
It's my understanding that your eyes typically protect themselves by hurting, forcing you to look away. During an eclipse (I'm assuming because so much of the sun is blocked) , the eyes don't hurt therefore you aren't forced to look away. Yes, this is exactly correct. If you are anywhere outside of 100% totality, it is not safe at any time for you to view the eclipse without glasses. |
|
momto1girl
Junior Member
Posts: 93
|
Post by momto1girl on Aug 19, 2017 11:41:32 GMT
This is something I read that seems to make sense:
Solar eclipses are dangerous because the sun can come out from behind the moon and "surprise you" before you have a chance to look away. And this is actually even worse than when you normally look away from the sun because during the total eclipse, it is dark out, and your pupil therefore dilates so that it can let in enough light to get a good picture. Then, when the sun reappears and starts flooding the area with really bright light, not only are you staring straight at it, but your eye is in a state where it is wide open, and actively trying to let in as much light as possible.
|
|
JustTricia
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,829
Location: Indianapolis
|
Post by JustTricia on Aug 19, 2017 12:23:21 GMT
Can I ask a serious question? I have seen posts on here, on Facebook, stories on the news, and in the papers for weeks lecturing about how dangerous an eclipse can be. Do you think it's fake news? Dangerous in what way? I believe the stories/anecdotes/what have you that suggest they might cause traffic problems, mostly because so many drivers have difficulty driving on a normal day. But other than that and the eye thing, I've not heard much (anything, I guess) about other potential dangers. I didn't realize I needed to specify what I meant by dangerous. I meant it specific to this thread, the title asking about eye damage and the OP talking about eye damage. |
|
|
|
Post by yivit on Aug 19, 2017 12:59:44 GMT
Dangerous in what way? I believe the stories/anecdotes/what have you that suggest they might cause traffic problems, mostly because so many drivers have difficulty driving on a normal day. But other than that and the eye thing, I've not heard much (anything, I guess) about other potential dangers. I didn't realize I needed to specify what I meant by dangerous. I meant it specific to this thread, the title asking about eye damage and the OP talking about eye damage. Well, in that context then, NO it's not fake new at all. |
|
|
|
Post by Patter on Aug 19, 2017 22:41:16 GMT
There was a man on our local news that had his eyes damaged in the 1970s from the eclipse. He said "You know the flash you see in your eyes from flash photography? That's how I see all of the time." I can't find the story now but it's sad.
|
|
|
|
Post by tallgirl on Aug 19, 2017 22:52:55 GMT
My completely non-scientific opinion is that yes, damage can happen, but the fact that there aren't a ton of people with damage indicates that it doesn't happen all that often - so you'd need to look at the sun for a prolonged period, or specifically when the full eclipse ends and your pupils are dilated and the sun reemerges, in order to cause damage. We have our eclipse glasses and will probably take a glance here and there with them, but for the most part we'll probably watch on tv simply because that view is likely to be better - particularly because we're not in the path of totality this time around.
|
|
But other than that and the eye thing, I've not heard much (anything, I guess) about other potential dangers.
