Some people failed to follow doctors' warning of using protection to witness celestial phenomenon
It hasn’t been long since the day when some lucky Earthlings witnessed this year’s Total Solar Eclipse but doctors, in areas that fell in the path of totality, have reported a surge in cases of eye-related injuries.
The number of people with eye-related injuries jumped while one doctor in New York City says she treated a number of patients with eye pain, the New York Post reported.
"I had several patients come in panicking saying 'I don't want to go blind,'" Dr Janette Nesheiwat, a New York City-based double board-certified doctor tells Fox News Digital. "I couldn’t believe it, people actually looked at the eclipse without protection."
Doctors and eye specialists had continuously advised people not to directly look at the sun during the solar eclipse without protection equipment like solar eclipse glasses as that could cause severe vision damage.
However, some did not heed the warning.
According to the New York Post,Google searches for "hurt eyes" and "why do my eyes hurt after the eclipse" rose after the moon and sun aligned on Monday.
Nesheiwat says the sun’s rays can burn the retina and damage the macula, the part of the retina at the back of the eye that is responsible for central vision.
According to a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center for Health Statistics does not have any data on eye damage following the eclipse.
But Nesheiwat says she treated up to eight patients in Midtown Manhattan, with one patient looking at the sun either directly or through his phone for about 10 minutes, she says.
"The damage can be irreversible if the retina is severely damaged by looking directly at the without proper eye protection. Some people may have mild symptoms if the exposure to the sun was brief."
Even while the great majority of people took safety precautions when viewing the eclipse, it’s possible that some people used solar eclipse glasses that were recalled because of being fake.