Doctors assess possible eye damage after Bavaria eclipse

People in Bavaria have sought medical advice after viewing the solar eclipse without adequate eye protection, with some reporting dark spots and distorted letters, BR reported. No one has so far required treatment for an acute emergency, but doctors have recorded initial abnormalities.

Six people with typical symptoms have been examined at the University Eye Clinic in Erlangen since the eclipse ended. Despite warnings beforehand, some viewers did not wear certified eclipse glasses continuously, while others used homemade eye protection.

Doctors use standard vision tests, eye examinations and imaging procedures to identify possible light-related damage. The examinations had ruled out lasting eye damage in five of the six Erlangen patients. Tests on the sixth patient were still ongoing.

Eye specialists expect more people to visit clinics and medical practices in the coming days. Benedikt Schworm, deputy head of the LMU Munich Eye Clinic, said some patients had shown symptoms and visible damage to the outer layers of the retina in optical coherence tomography scans. Four patients had visible retinal findings, and all affected people are being monitored.

Doctors said the number of cases had so far been lower than expected. Many worried viewers contacted specialists directly after the eclipse to seek advice.

Looking at the sun without certified protection can cause painful glare, corneal irritation from ultraviolet radiation and temporary afterimages. These symptoms usually disappear within minutes. However, wavy lines or missing letters when reading, appearing hours or days later, can indicate solar retinopathy.

Other warning signs include blurred or distorted vision, a dark or blind spot in the centre of vision, altered colour perception and increased sensitivity to light. The retina has no pain receptors, so damage can occur without causing pain. Intense sunlight can be focused on the macula, the part of the retina responsible for the sharpest vision.

For less severe damage, doctors monitor the eye’s natural healing process. Depending on the extent of the damage and other illnesses, treatment such as cortisone therapy may be considered. Corneal inflammation, dry eyes and retinal conditions discovered during examinations can also be treated.

Scarring and other complications can permanently impair vision in individual cases. There is currently no treatment that can restore severely damaged or destroyed sensory cells, either with medication or surgery.

Eye clinics in Augsburg and Passau had not received any eclipse-related inquiries. Doctors said the relatively low number of cases suggested that information from eye specialists and the media had helped many people avoid unnecessary eye damage. A full assessment of the effects is expected in one to two weeks.