The UK is set to witness its most dramatic partial solar eclipse in three decades tonight, with the moon taking a large bite out of the sun, leaving only a sliver visible. However, experts are warning that it is unsafe to look directly at the sun unless it is fully covered during totality. Everyone in the UK must wear protective eclipse glasses or use indirect viewing methods like a pinhole camera.
Shops, opticians, and museums selling eclipse glasses have largely sold out, leading to queues and questions about whether such protection is truly necessary. Some Reddit users have asked why it is so dangerous to look up when much of the sun is obscured, suggesting they might 'rawdog' it with the naked eye.
The Hidden Danger of Eclipse Viewing
Reena Dave, an ophthalmologist and clinical director at the eye clinic Newmedica, explains that the eclipse 'tricks your eyes into feeling comfortable looking at the sun, which is exactly what makes it so dangerous.' Normally, people instinctively turn away from the sun, but during an eclipse, the reduced brightness lures them into a false sense of security. Although less sunlight is visible, ultraviolet and infrared rays—which are invisible—can still damage the eyes.
Eclipse glasses contain a special film that filters out these harmful rays. Dave warns that retinal damage from UV exposure occurs 'silently and painlessly,' so symptoms may not appear until hours later. She fears a repeat of the 1999 solar eclipse, which was followed by nearly 2,500 eye-related injuries, according to the British Medical Journal.
Permanent Damage and Historical Precedents
Tania de Sales Marques, a senior astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, stresses that looking at the sun can cause 'permanent' eye damage. 'Even during a solar eclipse, the sun's light is intense enough to harm the sensitive cells in the back of your eye,' she says. The light can burn a hole through the retinas, which convert light into nerve signals. The extent of the burn, shaped like the sun's outer edge, depends on exposure duration, but even a few seconds can be destructive.
People who have suffered eclipse burns report black spots in their vision, reduced color vibrancy, and blurred or distorted objects. Eyes may become watery and sensitive to light. Dave notes that symptoms often take hours to appear and include blurred vision, a missing spot in central vision, and sensitivity.
Safe Viewing Alternatives
For those unable to obtain eclipse glasses due to stock issues, safe alternatives include making a pinhole camera, using hands or a colander, using paper, or watching an official livestream. Brits have been warned against using their phones to view the eclipse.
A study of 20 people aged 15 to 82 who reported black spots after the 1999 eclipse in England found that five had visible retinal damage, and all but four recovered within seven months. One witness, Peter Smith from Taunton, looked through a welder's mask and singed his retinas. He told the BBC, 'Make sure it's got the right protection and filters to stop any damage because any damage you get, it'll never heal. It's not like cutting your hand.'
