Dr. Chou did mention most of those looking at sun without protection are teens to pre-teens. Laser surgery is painless but I have heard eye doctors wondering if some early lasix patients might regret having the surgery 10 years later. I have assisted during laser eye procedures and everyone wears protection. As Rodger mentions, there are long term worries following exposure. Personally, I very rarely venture outside without sunglasses to avoid UV and IR exposure (not all sunglasses provide this) which, overtime, is linked to eye disease.
On a side note I find it interesting that the nuclear lobby points out that radiation from waste sites is equal to hospital nuclear radiation. They forget to mention the protection we wear when around that radiation in hospitals. We are talking about bad choices. It is interesting to see the youtube videos coming out. UFO sightings, videos showing total eclipses claiming it is of the annular, just to name a few. Bad choices can be made by those who don't believe in the danger.
In Oct. 1959, when I was 12 years old, I tried to see a solar eclipse while living in Jackson, WY. I must have looked for a total of 2 or 3 minutes over a half hour. The next day at school, I could see problems while looking at the blackboard. To this day, I have permanent eye damage to my right eye. I have a blind spot, the size of one letter of news print at reading length. When I look at a series of lines with just the right eye, I now have an hour glass-shaped image where the damage to my retina is.
Because of this loss, I never use my right eye to look through a telescope. My loss of vision hasn't been a major problem but over the years I have kicked myself many times for that stupid act.
My eye doctor has looked at this many times and tells me that no retinal cancer has formed because of this as of yet.
Now, I never glance at the sun without proper protection.
Thanks Rodger C. Fry
-----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of erikhansen@thebluezone.net Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 1:22 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] safe observing
He mentions one study and says it is mostly photochemical but thermal injury can occur and he seems to talking about glimpses without protection. He definitely does not advocate looking without protection and no eye doctor would as well. He seems to advocate protected sex as well.
The study should also follow-up these individuals in 20 years to really see what the radiation exposure has done. I recall it was you saying 40 sec exposure would not do permanent damage, I did not hear Dr. Chou say that.
Go to this site and watch the video. It is a presentation by Dr. Ralph
Chou. Dr. Chou is a noted expert on eye safety and viewing the sun. He has written at least two articles for Sky and Telescope that I am aware of. There are some really good facts on this site: http://www.transitofvenus.org/june2012/eye-safety
From: David Bennett <dlbennett@mac.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 9:43 AM Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] safe observing
Wow, 40 seconds? Where did you read that one? Sounds very risky even during the maximum of an annular (don't call me annual) eclipse. I glimpsed for about 1/4 a second unprotected during the maximum from Salt Lake with the hopes of seeing an after-image with closed eyes...it barely worked but I wouldn't risk my sight doing any more.
On May 23, 2012, at 09:08 AM, erikhansen@thebluezone.net wrote:
With a few posts talking about exaggerated claims of the dangers of solar observing during an eclipse.
Did anyone try to glimpse the eclipse without eye protection? After all, it was said to can look for 40 seconds without permanent eye damage.
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