How to prevent danger to the retina during the 2024 solar eclipse

Zachary Robertson, MD, a retina specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center talked with David Hutton of Ophthalmology Times about the upcoming solar eclipse and what potential damages the event could cause on the retina.

Video Transcript

Editor's note - This transcript has been edited for clarity.

David Hutton:

I'm David Hutton of Ophthalmology Times. On April 8th, a solar eclipse will cross the United States. With its path of totality crossing 15 states. The rest of the country will get glimpses of a partial solar eclipse. I'm joined today by Dr. Zachary Robertson, a retina specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Thanks for joining us today. As a retina specialist, what are the potential dangers to patients who may look at the eclipse without proper eye protection?

Zachary Robertson, MD:

The primary danger is going to be solar retinopathy, which is a photochemical damage to the retina that can result in decreased vision or blind spots.

David Hutton:

What should ophthalmologist be on the lookout for in patients who present with symptoms after the eclipse?

Zachary Robertson, MD:

Early on, it's fairly common that we see nothing or almost nothing, it can be very hard to diagnose immediately after sungazing. Later on, you can start to see pigment changes in the macula and eventually scarring.
And when should a patient be referred to a retina specialist?
If you have someone that you are concerned about that has solar retinopathy, I would say as early as possible. We don't have any proven treatments for solar retinopathy. So it's sort of at the physicians discretion as to what they want to try if anything. Most of us typically will just observe, but it's better to have that in someone's hands who is capable of making that distinction.

David Hutton:

And solar retinopathy isn't necessarily limited to eclipses. How are other ways that this could occur in a patient?

Zachary Robertson, MD:

Solar retinopathy itself, we typically do reserve for sun damage, so sungazing, [sun]bathing outside and looking at the Sun and solar eclipses. There are other light toxicities that affect the retina, including lasers, laser pointer, type things that children can play with. And even some of our operating light microscopes have been shown to cause macular damage from light toxicity.

David Hutton:

As ophthalmologists, what can be done to educate patients in advance of the eclipse?

Zachary Robertson, MD:

I think the primary thing that we need to address is how to safely view the eclipse. I think it's human nature that we want to look at it. And the earliest we can get ahead of that and try to engage the public in ways that safely do that, the better off we are and the less macular changes we see later on.

David Hutton:

And lastly, are there any other issues maybe that I haven't asked about today that would be important to note?

Zachary Robertson, MD:

Sun gazing and viewing the solar eclipse can also cause photokeratitis, which is sort of like a sunburn to the cornea. And that can be quite painful. That doesn't necessarily need a retinal specialist, but it certainly needs treatment and looking after so that they can hopefully have restored vision once it heals.