BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

File this under the Bruce Springsteen song or "Eight is Enough" (but not the TV show in this case). After last week's eclipse, at least eight people in Manhattan have subsequently visited a medical center with eye-related injuries. The reason is not hard to guess: they wore no eye protection while looking at the sun. This is despite sustained and widespread warnings by health officials prior to the event.

While the report focuses on just one area of the country, it's safe to assume that there were many similar incidents. Unfortunately, no data is being collected for these injuries so we'll never know the extent of this earthbound "phenomenon".

My disappointment in people lately with their increasing disregard for their own personal well-being has -- um -- eclipsed the head-shaking stage into near-bewilderment. But really, after nearly two decades as a public servant in the field of occupational safety I am not the least bit surprised. When someone asked me about my profession, I would often answer, "I help to save people from themselves". It never ceased to amaze me what people would do to circumvent safety measures but I never quite cracked the code that would unlock the answer to the conundrum. I am happy to say, though, that while I saw more than one case of blood, broken bones and bashed digits, I never lost anyone on my watch.

Another interesting factoid about the eclipse fiasco is that it brought the predators out. Reports revealed that more than one seller of so-called protective glasses were dumping product that was actually useless. I'll give you three guesses as to where these were made and the first two don't count.

What rankles me even more is the endless string of news stories last year about what may be the same type of people running rampant over our national parks. Aptly named "tourons", this self-centered, disrespectful lot took it upon themselves to ignore park rules -- and yes -- put themselves in mortal danger just for the sake of a selfie. The stupidity is boundless!

I've got much more to say about this, but I'll let it go for now and let my blood pressure settle down.

Eye injuries after solar eclipse surge following phenomenon

Doctors and eye specialists had been warning the public for days not to look directly at the sun

By Michael Dorgan | April 11, 2024 | Fox News

Immediately after Monday’s solar eclipse, the number of people searching Google for eye-related injuries jumped while one doctor in New York City says she treated a surge of patients with eye pain.

"I had several patients come in panicking saying ‘I don't want to go blind,’" Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a New York City-based double board-certified doctor tells Fox News Digital. "I couldn't believe it, people actually looked at the eclipse without protection."

Doctors and eye specialists had been warning the public for days not to look directly at the sun, but apparently, some did not heed the advice. 

Looking at the sun without protective equipment such as solar eclipse glasses can harm vision and can lead to serious and permanent damage. Nesheiwat says the sun’s rays can burn the retina and damage the macula, the part of the retina at the back of the eye that is responsible for central vision.

Google searches for "hurt eyes" and "why do my eyes hurt after the eclipse" rose after the moon and sun aligned on Monday.

In terms of national figures, a CDC spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the National Center for Health Statistics does not have any data on eye damage following the eclipse. 

However, Nesheiwat says she treated up to eight patients who came into the City MD she works out of near Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan, with one patient looking at the sun either directly or through his phone for about 10 minutes, she says.

"The damage can be irreversible if the retina is severely damaged by looking directly at the without proper eye protection. Some people may have mild symptoms if the exposure to the sun was brief."

"Symptoms my patients suffered included headaches, blurry vision, and nausea while one of my patients said he was seeing spots. Other symptoms can include a change in color vision," Nesheiwat added, saying she sent that patient to an eye care specialist, known as an ophthalmologist, for further treatment. "Then it was crazy, we were trying to make appointments for them with the eye specialists and all the eye specialists were booked up within an hour."

She treated some patients with nausea medicine and eyedrops and recommended they have follow-up appointments with an eye doctor. 

Symptoms may appear after a few days, Nesheiwat said, and she urged people to visit a medical doctor to have a full eye examination if this is the case. 

In the meantime, she said those people should stop looking at the sun, avoid rubbing their eyes, avoid strenuous activities on the eyes like excessive reading or use of electronic devices. She added they need to make sure they are wearing sunglasses that have UV protection when outdoors also. 

While the vast majority took precautions while gazing at the eclipse, there is a chance some may have done so with solar eclipse glasses that have been recalled. 

The Illinois Department of Public Health sent out a last-minute recall notice on Monday for eclipse glasses that may have potentially failed to meet safety standards. 

The agency asked customers to double-check if they had bought the glasses labeled "EN ISO 12312-1:2022" and warned them not to use the glasses to view the eclipse. 

The glasses in question were reportedly sold through Amazon as "Biniki Solar Eclipse Glasses AAS Approved 2024 - CE & ISO Certified Safe Shades for Direct Sun Viewing (6 Packs)." The glasses were also reportedly available at several Southern Illinois retail establishments, including Farm Fresh Market in Breese, Highland Tru Buy in Highland, Perry County Marketplace in Pinckneyville, Sinclair Foods in Jerseyville, Steelville Marketplace in Steelville and Big John Grocery in Metropolis.