Signs & Symptoms of Solar Retinopathy: Are Your Eyes OK?

As we all know, viewing a solar eclipse like the one we experienced on Monday may come with consequences without proper eye protection. Damage from sun gazing or looking at a solar eclipse is not uncommon and has been recognized for hundreds of years. The eye damage caused by sun gazing or viewing the eclipse is also known as "solar retinopathy" or "eclipse retinopathy". 

Symptoms of retinopathy from looking at the sun or eclipse usually develops within 1-4 hours after and can include any of the following (1):

• Decreased or blurry vision

• Distorted vision with a grid appearance (metamorphosis)

• Objects appear smaller than they actually are (micropsia)

• A central blind spot

Although some people report lasting effects and blindness due to solar retinopathy, it is likely that most people will completely recover (2). If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after viewing the eclipse you should consider a visit to the eye doctor.