Why Your Head and Eyes Hurt After Viewing the Eclipse

If you have a headache or eye pain after viewing the solar eclipse—even if you wore eclipse glasses—you’re not alone. But don’t panic. Experts say it’s probably not a sign of serious damage. Looking straight at the eclipse without protective glasses can potentially cause permanent damage to your vision. It’s dangerous to look directly at an eclipse—except during the period of “totality,” when the sun is entirely covered by the moon—for the same reason it’s never a good idea to stare at the sun: its light can burn your retina, a risk that’s formally known as solar retinopathy. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] But if you suffered this kind of damage, you’d be more likely to experience visual disruptions—such as blurriness, light sensitivity, or dark spots—over the following hours, rather than eye pain. The retina doesn’t have pain nerves, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Headaches can be a symptom of solar retinopathy, AAO says. But in most cases, someone develops a headache because of other vision issues, rather than as a primary symptom, says Dr. Lucia Sobrin, a retina specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. Read More: How Cities Around the U.S. Are Celebrating the Eclipse If you have a headache without accompanying visual issues, you’re almost definitely in the clear, particularly if you wore protective glasses as di...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Eclipse healthscienceclimate Solar Eclipse 2024 Source Type: news