The first total eclipse visible in Australia and New Zealand since 2002 will pose great risk to the eyes.
The 175km wide total solar eclipse will be visible for two minutes in Cairns and Port Douglas on 14 November as it passes from Arnhem Land, across Cape York and moves out into the Pacific, but all parts of Australia and New Zealand will experience a partial eclipse.
The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) has asked eye care professionals to take the opportunity to warn patients not to look directly at the sun during the eclipse – or indeed at any time because of the risk of retinal damage. The ASO warns that children and teenagers are most vulnerable to solar retinopathy due to the transmission characteristics of their eyes, their lack of experience in using solar filters and incomplete understanding of the dangers.
Risk of Exposure
There are risks associated with all forms of direct viewing; solar filters, unprotected viewing or viewing through optical instruments. However the sun’s reduced radiance during an eclipse makes it far more dangerous than a transit of Venus where the sun’s radiance is reduced by only 1 per cent. During partial eclipse phases our normal “aversion response” to the bright sun is reduced, which risks prolonged, unprotected, direct viewing and eye damage.
The first total eclipse… will pose great risk to the eyes
Safe Viewing
Indirect viewing with the back turned to the eclipse, or viewing live streams via the internet are the only safe methods endorsed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO).
Indirect viewing methods require the use of two cards, one with a central pinhole less than 2mm, held at least two metres above the second card, which acts as a screen for this pinhole camera. The image is larger the further the screen is away from the pinhole and the quality of the image deteriorates with a larger pinhole.
