Eyesight danger from partial eclipse

3^rd January 2011 - People hoping to see a partial solar eclipse tomorrow morning are being warned not to look directly at the sun to avoid damaging their eyesight.

The eclipse will be widely visible across Europe and as far east as India, but in the UK it may be awkward to see because the sun will be eclipsed when it rises and the event will be over shortly after half-past-nine in the morning. The phenomenon is caused by the moon passing between us and the sun, partially blocking our view of the sun.

Three-quarter eclipse

In London and parts of the south-east of England, 75% of the diameter of the sun will be obscured, but in Glasgow it will be only around 40%.

However, even though the sun will be low in the sky, the Government's Interim Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies is warning of the dangers of eye damage and even blindness of looking directly at the sun.

“Under no circumstances should people look directly at the sun during a partial eclipse,” Davies says in a statement. “The risks of doing so are very real and could lead to irreversible damage to eyesight and even blindness.”

The official advice for watching the partial eclipse safely is to observe it on TV or the internet.

Apart from the dangers of looking directly at the sun - even when it is partly hidden behind the moon - people are being warned against using telescopes, binoculars or looking through cameras. Also, sunglasses and photographic film are wholly inadequate.

Risk to children

Davies says young people are particularly at risk if they don’t fully understand the hazards. “Children are particularly vulnerable as they may be tempted to take a peek. We would urge parents to explain the danger to their children. We would not wish to see another case like the young boy who lost his central vision back in October 2005 through looking directly at a partial eclipse in his school playground.”

Anita Lightstone, Programme Director UK Vision Strategy, from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), says in a statement, "It is vital that people take the issue of eye safety seriously. People who look directly at the sun, even for as little as five seconds, risk permanent eye damage, even blindness."

Anyone wanting to watch the solar eclipse directly is being advised to use a specially designed solar filter bearing the appropriate CE mark.