Eye doctor: Enjoy the eclipse but protect your eyes

Enjoy the total solar eclipse, but remember you can damage your eyes if you gaze at the sun without taking proper precautions. Dr. Eric Dudenhoefer, an ophthalmologist at Parschauer Eye Center in Sandusky, has advice on all of the questions you might have, including the dangers of looking at the sun, what do to stay safe and what not to do. Forget about homemade filters, for example. Follow these guidelines The eclipse will show up at 3:08 p.m. April 8, so there's time to get ready. Dudenhoefer says people can damage their eyes if they are not careful, and permanent damage is possible. "Temporary or permanent injury to the retina can occur, leaving you with a blind spot in the middle of your vision," he said. And if you damage your eyes, you may not notice a problem right away, he said. "Damage from the eclipse is unlikely to cause pain or discomfort in your eyes because the retina does not have any pain nerves. Instead, you would notice visual symptoms within four to six hours. But some may notice symptoms after 12 hours," Dudenhoefer said. If you think you might have eye damage, possible symptoms include blurry vision, headache, a blind spot in the central vision in one or both eyes, increased sensitivity to light, distorted vision, such as a straight line looking bent, and changes in the way your eyes see color. If you have apparently damaged your eyes, go see the eye doctor. "There is no treatment for solar retinopathy. But it is important to see your ophthalmologist if you experience difficulties with your vision. An ophthalmologist will take a scan of the eye to see the extent of any damage," Dudenhoefer explained. "Many people recover after three to six months, but some will suffer from permanent vision loss, in the form of a small blind spot and distortion," he said. Those are the warnings. Safe sights Now here's the good news: You can enjoy the eclipse, including looking directly at the sun, if you are careful to take the proper precautions. "If your eclipse glasses or viewers are compliant with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard adopted in 2015, you may look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through them for as long as you wish," Dudenhoefer said. There will even be a moment when you can take the glasses off. "The only time that you can look at the sun without a solar viewer is during a total eclipse. When the moon completely covers the sun's bright face and it suddenly gets dark, you can remove your solar filter to watch this unique experience," Dudenhoefer said. "Then, as soon as the bright sun begins to reappear very slightly, immediately use your solar viewer again to watch the remaining partial phase of the eclipse." OK, now here's the "pay careful attention" part of the article: Not all purported eye protection glasses are the same. Be sure you get eye protection that meets the accepted standard. "They must meet a specific worldwide standard known as ISO 12312-2. These glasses will be available in a limited supply at Parschauer Eye Center for $5. Alternatively, you may wish to check with your personal eye care professional to see if they are making these glasses available," Dudenhoefer said. "You can also search on the internet for reputable vendors who have been screened by the American Astronomical Society. Be careful of your source, as there have been problems in the past with counterfeit glasses being marketed as conforming to the standards when, in reality, they do not," he said. The advice is at aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/where-to-get-solar-eclipse-glasses-updated-advice. Planning to use sunglasses or homemade filters? Forget about it. "Keep in mind that ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, or homemade filters are not safe for looking at the sun," Dudenhoefer said. Even if you have the right glasses, be careful to use them the right way. If they are scratched or damaged, get yourself some good ones. Read the directions and follow them. Put the glasses on before you look at the sun, and look away from the sun before you take them off. Don't use an unfiltered camera, telescope or binoculars even if you have special glasses. Talk to an astronomer or do your homework if you plan to take photos. Using a pinhole projection is also a safe way to look at an eclipse; search on the internet to learn more. Hospitals gear up Local hospitals are getting ready for the event. At Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, preparation has been going on for some time. "Our hospital incident command system team has been meeting many months to prepare for the eclipse. We're preparing our response with guidance from the local emergency management agency. Our plans take into consideration our inpatient and outpatient services across the health system," Fireands spokesman Jordan Sternberg said. The preparations include making sure enough health care workers will be available and trying to avoid discharging patients when the roads will be clogged with sungazers. Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk also has been preparing for the eclipse, spokesman Chris Ruffing said. "Fisher-Titus has been actively engaged with local response agencies and the Huron County Emergency Management Agency to anticipate and prepare for the possibility of large numbers of eclipse enthusiasts coming to our area," Ruffing said. "We have discussed scenarios that address parking and traffic issues as well as the possibility of an influx of patients. Our primary concern is that of safety: safety of our community, visitors, and staff and the ability of all to access our services," Ruffing said.