The rare solar eclipse captivated millions of viewers across Mexico, North America, and Canada on April 8th.
The awe-inspiring phenomenon occurs when the Moon blocks the sun's rays, casting a shadow on Earth. Thousands of people traveled to the path of totality for the best view.
However, there were many warnings against looking directly at the sun during the recent eclipse because it could cause damage to the eyes of onlookers.
Despite the warnings, many ignored them, resulting in a sudden increase in eye injuries immediately after the solar eclipse.
On X platform, The Journal of the American Medical Association shared a picture depicting a significant increase in Google searches for 'why do my eyes hurt', leaving viewers stunned.
The picture displayed data from The Spectator Index, revealing a notable surge in Google searches for 'why do my eyes hurt' following the eclipse, indicating potential eye injuries resulting from staring at the sun.
It is believed that many people disregarded these warnings and faced the consequences, as evidenced by the surge in "Eye Pain" searches after the solar eclipse.
Additionally, eclipse sightseers paid the price for ignoring safety warnings.
One person said: most of those are probably serious searches and others are troll searches
A second wrote: just the fact that people have to look this up is enough proof we need this out of the gene pool.
While a third commented: My eyes hurt too. I didn't see the eclipse, I think I just need more sleep.
Someone else said: Their eyes hurt staring at the memecoin charts all day.
Another added: Man I went outside to move my car and my eyes immediately started hurting. I moved that thing and went right back inside. I’m blind enough as is.
Experts repeatedly emphasized the critical safety precaution of not looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse.
The Journal of the American Medical Association warned that "even a few seconds of viewing the sun" can cause permanent damage to the macula, a vital part of the retina responsible for central vision.
Previously, on TikTok, a woman left viewers shocked after revealing that she suffered permanent vision loss after looking at a solar eclipse for just 10 seconds.
On social media, Bridget Kyeremateng, 29, from Brooklyn, revealed that a brief glance at the 2017 eclipse without proper eye protection resulted in permanent vision damage for her.
After the incident, not only did she find it difficult to read words, but she also struggled to recognize traffic signs. The situation worsened when she woke up and noticed a gaping blind spot in her left eye.
In the comments section of the video, Kyeremateng hopes to prevent others from suffering similar vision loss as her.
Kyeremateng's story serves as a reminder to always use specially certified solar eclipse glasses when viewing the sun.
