Can a solar eclipse make you blind?

Question

if so, how?

Answer 1

yes.  During an eclipse the danger is greater because more people stare intently at the eclipse and can ruin their eyes.  We used to use an exposed piece of film to cut the intensity of the light when we watched an eclipse.  another solution is to use something like welding glasses or a piece of smoked glass.

Answer 2

Looking at the sun can make you blind.  Whether there is an eclipse or not.

However, most people can't stand looking at the sun for more than a second at a time...

unless they are told that something special is going on (like an eclipse).  In that case, some people will force themselves to keep looking for more than a few seconds.

The worst part is that the effect is not immediate (some people only notice the damage after an hour, a few hours... we've even seen cases where the person only noticed the next day).  Also, since the retina does not have pain sensors, you can't even rely on pain to warn you about the damage being done.

Answer 3

A total eclipse - no.  But, for example, the United States doesn't get a total eclipse this time around.  We get a partial eclipse at best.  For that you'll need a real solar filter, or eyepiece projection.

I predict that the eclipse questions will die off in a few days. You heard it first here.  Then we can get back to the more serious 2012 questions.

Answer 4

only if you do something stupid like stare at it too long without protecting your eyes.

Answer 5

Not the eclipse itself, but the light passing the moon can. Because there is less light, your pupils will open wider to allow better vision. However, the intensity of the light that passes is no less, so it can still severely damage your retina. And because your pupil is even wider, more light enters, meaning an eclipse is more dangerous and can blind you.

Answer 6

It's not the eclipse that makes you blind, it's the looking at the Sun.  Even when the Sun is mostly covered by the Moon, a significant amount of sunlight (and all the different types of radiation) are still reaching the surface.  Thus one can be misled in that because it is not so bright, it is safe.  Eye damage in this way is painless, and only later do you realize, uh oh...

Answer 7

If you see the Sun, the light will kill some cells. The more time you see it or the more bright is it, (at noon is more bright ), or the less hided the Sun (shadow from the Moon), the more cells would be burn.

If the eclipse is total, you can see it, but as soon the Sun can be seen, you must end to see it.