We all know the warnings about not looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse. But sometimes curiosity gets the better of us, as it did for Bridget Kyeremateng in 2017. She shares her story as a cautionary tale for others.
Bridget, a 29-year-old woman from Brooklyn, didn’t have protective glasses and decided to take a quick glance at the solar eclipse without any eye protection. She thought a few seconds wouldn’t make a difference. Little did she know, she was about to experience something she never expected.
The next day, Bridget woke up with irreversible eye damage. She had a blind spot in the middle of her left iris. The impact was so significant that she struggled to focus on objects and read words. It was a scary realization of the consequences of her mistake.
Bridget described her experience of trying to focus on the sun and the moon during the eclipse. She ignored the discomfort and stared for about 10 to 15 seconds before deciding to go inside. The following morning, she couldn’t read the words on her phone screen with her left eye. The blind spot in her iris made every other word invisible to her.
“I was freaking out,” Bridget recalled. “I thought maybe I just wasn’t fully awake.” She walked around the house, covering her right eye to confirm what she was seeing. There were white dots floating around and images were distorted.
Immediately, she went to see an eye doctor to understand what had happened. While her retina was not damaged, the doctor explained that the sun had caused distortion in her eye. She now had what the doctor called “slow 20/20 vision,” meaning it took her longer to read letters or words with her damaged eye. The blind spot in her iris remained.
Bridget also experiences frequent headaches and migraines on the left side of her head. She’s not sure if these are related to the solar eclipse, but they add to the ongoing impact of her eye damage. She also has astigmatism but is unsure if it is connected to her eclipse experience.
To cope with her visual impairment, Bridget wears prescription glasses. They have been a significant help for her. She realizes that her eyesight may naturally worsen with age, but she hopes that by taking proper precautions and wearing sunglasses, she can slow down the progression of her condition.
Reflecting on her experience, Bridget admitted she was initially embarrassed by her mistake. However, she now uses her story on TikTok to educate others. She emphasizes the importance of not looking at the sun during an eclipse unless you have proper protective glasses. It’s simply not worth the risk of irreversible eye damage.
Bridget concludes by reminding readers and viewers that this is a valuable lesson in adhering to public health and safety advice, especially during events like solar eclipses. She encourages everyone to share her story so that others can avoid making the same mistake in the future.
Remember, take care of your eyes and protect them during a solar eclipse. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
This cautionary tale serves as a reminder to always prioritize your eye health and follow safety guidelines, even during once-in-a-lifetime events. Share this article with others to spread the word and prevent similar incidents from happening.
