‘Eyes hurting’ during the eclipse 2024 | Why The Spike In The Trend

Yes, it’s possible that there was a spike in people searching for information about eye pain or discomfort during the eclipse. Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse can cause serious eye damage, including solar retinopathy, which can lead to temporary or permanent vision loss.

• Online searches reporting eye discomfort spiked during the eclipse, according to Google Trends.
• Many of those searches came from states in or near the eclipse’s path of totality.
• Doctors say that for those who took appropriate precautions, discomfort immediately after the eclipse probably doesn’t indicate serious eye damage.

Large swathes of the US took time out of their day to view Monday’s solar eclipse, which brought out awestruck crowds from Texas to Maine.

And apparently, a good amount of people feared they might have damaged their eyesight in the process.

Google searches for “eyes hurt” spiked around the time of the eclipse, suggesting that viewers of the eclipse were worried their discomfort might mean something more serious.

Screenshot/Google Trends

Searches peaked at 3:12 p.m. ET — about 45 minutes after the path of the eclipse crossed into Texas from Mexico — and had largely returned to normal levels by 5 p.m. on Monday.

Most of those searches were concentrated in states in or near the path of totality — where the moon fully blocked out the sun — which cut through some of the most populated regions in the Midwestern and Northeastern US. Over 30 million people from those regions were able to witness the extraordinary event.

Even if the sun is partially obscured by the moon during an eclipse, it’s still dangerous to look directly at it without proper eye protection. Special eclipse glasses or welder’s glasses with a shade rating of 14 or higher are recommended for safe viewing.

If someone experiences eye pain or discomfort after viewing an eclipse, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Symptoms of solar retinopathy may include blurry vision, distorted vision, loss of central vision, or a blind spot in the center of the visual field. It’s important to note that these symptoms may not appear immediately after the eclipse, and may take several hours or even days to develop.

To avoid eye damage during an eclipse, it’s important to follow safe viewing practices and use appropriate eye protection. It’s also a good idea to limit the amount of time spent looking at the sun, even with proper protection, and to supervise children to ensure that they are using eclipse glasses correctly.