Eye doctor explains what will happen if you look directly at the sun during the solar eclipse

You've heard over and over that you shouldn't look up at the sun during Monday's solar eclipse (or ever, as a general rule), but what actually happens  if you do?

Dr. Jacob Chung, Chief of Opthalmology at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, answered our burning (ahem) questions about what'll happen if you just can't help but take a peek — sans ISO-approved glasses — during the big event.

What happens if someone looks directly at the sun during the eclipse?

If you look at it for a second or two, nothing will happen. Five seconds, I'm not sure, but 10 seconds is probably too long and 20 seconds is definitely too long.

The eye works like a camera, and the retina is like the film of your eye. So looking at the sun too long is almost like burning a hole in the center of your film, or retina. We don't have pain fibers there so you won't have discomfort or feel pain, but you might see a fuzzed out, dark spot. 

The retina can't heal itself, so the blind spot is permanent and cannot be treated, but definitely go see a doctor to make sure it's the right diagnosis.

ECLIPSE GUIDE:Everything you need to know about the solar eclipse

GLASSES:5 places to get eclipse glasses before the big day

Is there a difference if you're looking at a partial or total eclipse?

If you're in that 70-mile swath where you'll be able to see the total eclipse [parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Illinois, Kentucky, South Carolina], you have about a two-minute window where the sun is 100 percent eclipsed. Because we have a partial eclipse, there is a zero-second window where it's safe to look at the sun directly. 

Look, no one loves to look at the sun: it hurts. The reason it's more dangerous during the eclipse is because you don't feel much discomfort, yet your eyes are receiving all the harm. It's similar to getting sunburned on a cloudy day.

Just to be clear: on non-eclipse days, is it still unsafe to look at the sun?

[Chuckles] Yes.

What makes ISO-approved glasses safe? Are there alternatives?

They filter out a lot more of the sun's harmful radiation — something like 100,000 times more than standard sunglasses.

The best alternative is to visualize it from an indirect method. Put your phone camera on selfie mode, then turn your back to the sun and see the eclipse that way.

Or, take two pieces of cardboard or paper. Cut a hole in one and again, turn your back to the sun and hold it up against the second one. The sun will cast its rays through the pinhole, [creating a projection on the second piece of cardboard/paper]. 

Have you had a patient who had eye damage from looking at the sun?

I had a case many years ago of a gentleman who had a condition called solar retinopathy. I don't know if it was during an eclipse, but he said he was on LSD and looked at the sun for four straight hours. In his retina there was a pigmented spot and his vision was very poor, needless to say. He was basically legally blind.

Is there a "season" for eye damage?

In summer, of course, since we're closer to the sun. [Note: It is actually hotter in the summer because the Earth's axis is tilted] But there are different ways you can get damage from the sun in your eyes. If you are outdoors a lot you can get a growth on the surface of your eye, called pterygium. It's found very commonly in people who live or grew up in equatorial regions, and a lot of surfers get it because the water reflects UV into eyes [the condition is also called Surfer's Eye]. If very severe, it can start to obscure your vision and cause irritation from time to time. That can be surgically removed, however.

Chronic sun exposure can also contribute to formation of cataracts and macular degeneration. So, wear sunglasses as often as it makes sense to.