Here are some warning signs to look out for.
Camilla Foster, PA and Olivia Bridge Reporter in Live News Network
20:42, 12 Aug 2026Updated 21:17, 12 Aug 2026
Special solar eclipse glasses are required(Image: CLEMENS BILAN/EPA/Shutterstock)
The spectacular solar eclipse was witnessed by thousands of skygazers across Ireland today.
The Moon passed directly between the Earth and the Sun earlier this evening, blocking the Sun’s face. Although we saw a partial solar eclipse, it was said to be the most significant one in decades with more than 90% of the Sun’s surface obscured.
Now, however, eye health experts have revealed what to do if you directly looked at the sun without proper protection – and at what point you might need advice from an optician.
Nkosi Yearwood, optometrist and The College of Optometrists council member for Wales said: “People often forget that the sun gives out a lot more light than just visible light. There are also ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, and it’s this whole spectrum that is harmful to our eyes.
The solar eclipse in the UK(Image: Supplied)
“Because the sun starts dimming in the eclipse, many people think that it’s safe to look at, but actually even if it’s a 90% coverage, you’ve still got 10% of the sun that you’re staring at, and that’s still a lot of energy.”
How can looking directly at the solar eclipse without certified filters impact your eyes?
“If you look directly at it, it can cause damage to the back of the eye and can cause some retinopathy,” Patrick Laidlaw, an optometrist based at Optegra Eye Clinic Sheffield said.
“If you look at it for too long you could even develop a central bit of field loss.”
This is because looking directly at a solar eclipse can affect the macula.
“There’s a point at the back of the eye called the macula, which is where you get your central vision from, and it’s highly populated with photoreceptors. Intense light can cause toxicity and can essentially burn the back of the eye,” explains Laidlaw.
Yearwood notes that history suggests that this damage can occur even when you look at it for short period of time.
“In the days following the last eclipse in the Nineties, around 70 people across the UK presented to eye departments with some level of solar retinopathy, and about 40% of these people looked at it for less than a minute,” says Yearwood.
What to do if you looked at the eclipse(Image: ANP/Shutterstock)
What red flag eye symptoms should we look out for?
People tend to get delayed symptoms.
“It can take a few hours or even couple of days before you start feeling the symptoms,” says Yearwood.
He explains that many people don’t notice it straight away because there usually isn’t any pain associated with it.
“The retina doesn’t have any pain receptors, so you can do this damage and not know about it,” says Yearwood.
However, there are other signs to look out for that can range from mild to drastic.
“The main things to look out for is any blurring in vision, distortion, a dark spot or a change in your colour vision,” says Yearwood.
“If you experience any of these symptoms or just feel like things aren’t quite right, seek advice from an optometrist at your local opticians straight away.”
Laidlaw adds: “I would also look out for any severe light sensitivity or any reduction in vision.”
What do optometrists look for?
“We look for any changes to the macular region, because that’s the part of your eye which focuses on the very fine detail. Whenever you’re looking at something, your macula is focused on it, and we tend to see changes to the retinal cells,” says Yearwood. “It generally shows up as a yellowish spot.”
Can this damage be treated or reversed?
There is no treatment for it, but it can heal itself.
“Similar to sunburn, it does in most cases does heal itself,” says Yearwood.
“The length of time to heal and how high the chance of healing depends on how long you look at the eclipse for.
“So, if you did end up staring at it for too long, you do risk permanent vision damage. If you are worried, go to your local opticians and let them assess you.”
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