Post-Diwali, a partial solar eclipse will be witnessed in many countries, including the north and west, and southern parts of India on Tuesday (October 25).
According to NASA, the eclipse begins before sunset in the late afternoon and will be visible in most areas.
What is a solar eclipse?
A partial solar eclipse happens when the moon comes between the sun and the earth, but the Moon only partially covers the Sun's disk.
According to scientists, during a partial eclipse, the alignment is not done perfectly in a straight line and the moon casts only the outer area of its shadow on the earth.
What happens to the eyes during the eclipse?
According to health experts, exposing your eyes to the sun directly without any proper protection during an eclipse can cause immediate and permanent blindness or burn in the retina, also known as solar retinopathy.
Exposure to the sun's rays can damage or even destroy cells in the retina that transmit what you see to the brain.
“Looking directly at the sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse when the moon entirely blocks the sun’s bright face, which will happen only within the narrow path of totality,” NASA explains on its website.
“The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses.”
Experts believe that even though there are no immediate symptoms or pain associated with the damage, the retina doesn’t have any pain receptors — so it is hard to know at the time if you have been afflicted with eclipse blindness.
If you look at the sun unfiltered, you may immediately notice a blaze effect, or a glare the way you would from any bright object.
Doctors say the symptoms generally begin to show at least 10-12 hours after viewing the eclipse with the naked eye when people wake up in the morning and notice their vision has been altered.
How to protect your eyes?
Health experts recommend not viewing the eclipsed sun with the naked eye even for a brief period as it can damage the eyes permanently and result in blindness.
Here are a few tips you can follow to stay safe during the partial Surya Grahan:
Dos
- If you want to watch the eclipse, make sure to use the right filter like black polymer or aluminized
Mylar on either the telescope or the glasses used for viewing - Always wear protection in the eyes whenever planning to view the eclipse, even through a telescope
- Always drive with your headlights on during the eclipse
Don'ts
- Never, ever watch the eclipse with the naked eye, not even for a second.
- Do not use regular sunglasses to view the eclipse
- Avoid using any kind of camera to record the eclipse
- Never leave the kids unsupervised during an eclipse
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
