'Why do my eyes hurt?' searches spike along solar eclipse path: Is it actually eclipse blindness?

Marley Malenfant , Austin American-Statesman

For most Texans, viewing Monday's total solar eclipse was a breeze with special glasses that protect your eyes from the damaging effects of the sun's rays.

But according to Google Trends, several people may have gone against good judgment and looked directly into the sun during this week's solar eclipse without wearing the proper eyewear.

According to Google Trends, which analyzes queries made across Google, there was a significant spike in searches for terms relating to the eclipse and eyes health on Monday, including the terms "why do my eyes hurt" and "my eyes hurt."

States where users searched "my eyes hurt" almost directly followed the eclipse's path.

More: I looked at the eclipse and now my eyes hurt. What are the symptoms of eclipse blindness?

Why do my eyes hurt? Is it eclipse blindness?

If you were tempted to look at the sun without wearing eclipse glasses, you may have some serious damage to your eyes. It could be a case of solar retinopathy.

According to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, solar, or photic, retinopathy occurs when intense light energy injures or damages the retina (the inner lining of the back part of the eye). 

Eye pain could feel like burning, throbbing, aching, or stabbing sensation in or around the eye. It may also feel like you have a foreign object in your eye.

Possible symptoms of eye damage after the solar eclipse

If you do have damage from staring at the sun, you might not notice the damage immediately.

According to The American Academy of Ophthalmology, visual symptoms typically begin within a few to six hours but some can experience them after 12 hours.

According to Google Data, most Texans were searching these questions around 6 p.m. on Monday and in the early hours of Tuesday, April 9. The areas in Texas that saw the highest search volume were San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and the Tyler-Longview area.

Some symptoms to be aware of are:

  • Blurry vision

  • Headache

  • A blind spot in your central vision in one or both eyes

  • Increased sensitivity to light

  • Distorted vision such as a straight line appearing bent or a door jamb looking curvy

  • Changes in the way you see color or dyschromatopsia

If the eclipse didn't cause it, why do my eyes hurt?

According to the Mayo Clinic, your eyes could hurt for a variety of reasons. They could include:

  • Allergies

  • Stye, a red, painful lump near the edge of your eyelid

  • Blue light strain

  • Cluster headache

  • Contact lens problem

  • Corneal abrasion or a scratch

  • Corneal herpetic infection or herpes

  • Glaucoma, which is a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve

  • Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 'Why do my eyes hurt?' searches spike along eclipse path in Texas

Advertisement