Searches for Eye Pain Surge After Solar Eclipse

After the solar eclipse observed on August 12 the United Kingdom and Spain saw a sharp increase in online searches for eye-related problems. In particular, Google searches for “my eyes hurt” in the United Kingdom rose by 1,500%, while in Spain they increased by 5,000%.

Some people experienced symptoms such as eye pain, headaches and blurred vision after looking at the Sun without protection for just a few seconds. Experts say that even briefly looking directly at the Sun can damage the retina and lead to solar retinopathy.

Symptoms may not be noticed immediately and can appear several hours later. Blurred vision, dark spots in the field of vision, difficulty distinguishing colors and eye irritation are among the main signs.

The same risk has been observed during previous solar eclipses. For example, in 1999, the United Kingdomreceived around 1,600 calls at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London after a total solar eclipse, while 220 people sought emergency care out of concern that their eyes had been damaged.

Doctors advise against using ordinary sunglasses when viewing a solar eclipse and recommend wearing special protective glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 standard