Eye doctor, province ask Manitobans to take precautions ahead of solar eclipse

Eye experts are reminding Manitobans to take precautions before they attempt to get a glimpse of Monday's solar eclipse.

People on a narrow swath of land across North America will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse come Monday. But Manitobans staying closer to home will still get a view of the moon as it partially covers the sun.

While there may be a lot of folks who won't want to miss watching the cosmic event as it unfolds, the Manitoba Association of Optometrists is reminding them staring at the sun with the naked eye is a really bad idea.

"The last time that we had the partial eclipse back in 2017 … there was a lot of scares because the damage can be permanent," said Dr. Irene Mestito-Dao, the association's president.

"When something like this is happening and people start telling you it's a once-in-a-lifetime event, people can't resist."

On Friday, the province issued a release warning people that the risk of eye damage is higher during a solar eclipse. The release said it's less bright, so it's possible to stare at it for a while without the body triggering any of its safety mechanisms.

"The retina doesn't have any pain receptors. And so when we look up at the sun and as it's causing damage, you can't tell it's happening — sometimes not until a few hours later," Mestito-Dao said.

WATCH | What to expect during Monday's solar eclipse:

"When you look away and walk away and everything's fine, and then all of a sudden you might notice that you have a blind spot or a blurry vision, or that there's distortions, sore eyes, red eyes."

People at higher risk of eye damage include outdoor workers, those who are homeless and other vulnerable individuals who may need extra guidance to avoid looking at the eclipse, the province said.

It said children are at especially vulnerable because their eyes let in more light.

The province said its shared information with schools and child-care providers to prepare them for Monday.

LISTEN | Optometrist association on how to safely watch the eclipse:

Mestito-Dao said parents must make sure their children look back down before they take their solar eclipse glasses off. If the child doesn't have any kind of protection, it's better for them to stay indoors, she said.