Can You Really Go Blind Looking At The Sun

[nailit]

just wondering. And if so why?
Are there any records of people going blind this way?

[tonyav]

That isn't Gaelic, it's Vulcan.

[nailit]

Mamya, thanks for the link, will have a look. :-)

[Tilly2]

I don't feel like shining today, Svejk. What I know, I will keep to myself.

[poorclare]

Yes Manyalynne it was indeed, Thank you

[Peter Pedant]

// Probably not........but you can certainly damage the retina, giving you pain and temporary blindness.//

I will untick Sqad's ophthalmology box

Nailit you must NOT look into the sun for anytime
The result MAY be a retinal burn - which leaves a scar and is permanent. So you cant call it back once you have done it.

sunset - when the suns rays are dissipated by the thick layer of atmosphere is OK and sunrise if you are up early

We think Newton burnt his retina because he specifically mentioned looking directly at an eclipse

We were encourage to look at the partial eclipse in 1964 thro glass shards which were covered with lamp-black. Blue Peter Fun with candles and so on - but it didnt disperse the infra red which is non-seeable but burns. Presumably we were all saved by a childs attention span not being that long

[Old_Geezer]

You will naturally look away if dazzled by the sun. I don't think anyone has gone blind just from that.

Everyone has gone over the brow of a hill or around a corner driving and didn't become permanently blind as a result of not having the shade down.

Prolonged gazing at it though might well cause issues (although after my eye laser treatment I'm not even sure about that ;-) ).

What you don't want to do is stare at it through a lens as that will focus the power of the sunlight and is a much greater risk.

[Tuvok]

Never use the small solar filters that come with some telescopes.

I'm in an Astronomy society and one of our Presidents had a lucky escape - when he was a boy he was using that type of filter when it shattered.

[magpie]

has anybody lit something using a magnifying glass? well it's the same principle. the main focus of our vision is pointed just ahead of the retina i the vitreous humour so it would damage the gelatinous liquid first then the retina. some tribes would stake people to the ground and wedge open their eyelids so that the sun would kill off the eyes before killing the enemy. yuk!