Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited
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Michael A. Covingto
#1 / 8
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 Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited As the author of two books about eclipse-observing techniques, I'm always on the lookout for reports of eye injuries caused by eclipses. If any of you have seen an injury caused by the latest solar eclipse, I'd like to know exactly how it happened: what was the victim doing, and why did he/she use an unsafe technique? I'm already *very* familiar with the basics of eclipse safety and with the
work of B. R. Chou and Fred Espenak, so there's no need to repost basic
information here. All I'm looking for right now are reports of specific
cases, so I can gather evidence about exactly what misunderstandings are
involved in injuries that still take place.
My impression is that in the United States, eclipse injuries have become
quite uncommon, but the recent European eclipse passed through an
unprecedently densely populated area and probably gave people the
opportunity to make any possible mistake.
Many thanks.
Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
Author, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE AMATEUR (Cambridge U. Press, 1999, 1991,
1985)
Co-author, CAMBRIDGE ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE (Cambridge U. Press, 1994)
http://www.***.com/ ;<><
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| Tue, 29 Jan 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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A.Fersz
#2 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited Quote:
> As the author of two books about eclipse-observing techniques, I'm always on
> the lookout for reports of eye injuries caused by eclipses. If any of you
> have seen an injury caused by the latest solar eclipse, I'd like to know
> exactly how it happened: what was the victim doing, and why did he/she use
> an unsafe technique?
> I'm already *very* familiar with the basics of eclipse safety and with the
> work of B. R. Chou and Fred Espenak, so there's no need to repost basic
> information here. All I'm looking for right now are reports of specific
> cases, so I can gather evidence about exactly what misunderstandings are
> involved in injuries that still take place.
> My impression is that in the United States, eclipse injuries have become
> quite uncommon, but the recent European eclipse passed through an
> unprecedently densely populated area and probably gave people the
> opportunity to make any possible mistake.
> Many thanks.
> Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
You might want to check some of the online resources like The Lancet or New Scientist. Since it can take a day or more for damage to show up, have a look over the next few days. UK doctors are on standby but there haven't been any stories in the news yet.
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| Tue, 29 Jan 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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Jeffrey P. Utz, M.D
#3 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited Out of curiosity, if you do not mind me asking, what are you going to do with this information? I would suggest looking at the wire reports (e.g., Associated Press), as
well as other news organizations. I think I saw one or two reports from them
in the local paper.
Jeff Utz
Quote: >As the author of two books about eclipse-observing techniques, I'm always on >the lookout for reports of eye injuries caused by eclipses. If any of you >have seen an injury caused by the latest solar eclipse, I'd like to know >exactly how it happened: what was the victim doing, and why did he/she use >an unsafe technique? >I'm already *very* familiar with the basics of eclipse safety and with the
>work of B. R. Chou and Fred Espenak, so there's no need to repost basic
>information here. All I'm looking for right now are reports of specific
>cases, so I can gather evidence about exactly what misunderstandings are
>involved in injuries that still take place.
>My impression is that in the United States, eclipse injuries have become
>quite uncommon, but the recent European eclipse passed through an
>unprecedently densely populated area and probably gave people the
>opportunity to make any possible mistake.
>Many thanks.
>Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
>Author, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE AMATEUR (Cambridge U. Press, 1999, 1991,
>1985)
>Co-author, CAMBRIDGE ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE (Cambridge U. Press, 1994)
>http://www.CovingtonInnovations.com/astro <><
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| Tue, 29 Jan 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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Michael A. Covingto
#4 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited
| Out of curiosity, if you do not mind me asking, what are you going to do | with this information? Refine the eclipse-viewing instructions in my books and in the talks I give
to various astronomy-related groups. Basically, I'm on the lookout for
people who have misunderstood instructions or been mis-instructed, so I can
address any points of confusion.
News media reports are useful for determining if injuries are happening, but
they tend to be very inaccurate about the details. What I really want to
know is what was going on in the head of the injured person -- that is, did
they think they were using a safe technique, and if so, what did they get
wrong?
Thanks for your assistance.
Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
Author, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE AMATEUR (Cambridge U. Press, 1999, 1991,
1985)
Co-author, CAMBRIDGE ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE (Cambridge U. Press, 1994)
http://www.CovingtonInnovations.com/astro <><
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| Tue, 29 Jan 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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A.Fersz
#5 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited Quote:
> | Out of curiosity, if you do not mind me asking, what are you going to do
> | with this information?
> Refine the eclipse-viewing instructions in my books and in the talks I give
> to various astronomy-related groups. Basically, I'm on the lookout for
> people who have misunderstood instructions or been mis-instructed, so I can
> address any points of confusion.
> News media reports are useful for determining if injuries are happening, but
> they tend to be very inaccurate about the details. What I really want to
> know is what was going on in the head of the injured person -- that is, did
> they think they were using a safe technique, and if so, what did they get
> wrong?
> Thanks for your assistance.
> Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
> Author, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE AMATEUR (Cambridge U. Press, 1999, 1991,
> 1985)
> Co-author, CAMBRIDGE ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE (Cambridge U. Press, 1994)
> http://www.CovingtonInnovations.com/astro <><
That could be more difficult. There were a lot of 'safe' viewers for sale, which weren't safe at all. In some cases, eg people using smoked glass, the person would have thought the technique was safe because it is an old technique. They aren't likely to think they did/got anything wrong.
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| Tue, 29 Jan 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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Michael A. Covingto
#6 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited | That could be more difficult. There were a lot of 'safe' viewers for | sale, which weren't safe at all. In some cases, eg people using smoked | glass, the person would have thought the technique was safe because it | is an old technique. They aren't likely to think they did/got anything | wrong. Precisely what I want to know -- are people being injured by using viewers
that are described as safe in old books? Or are they being injured only
when they make no attempt to use safe methods?
So far I have not actually encountered a case of the first of these. I've
encountered numerous cases of the second. That's why I'm interested.
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| Tue, 29 Jan 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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GEM
#7 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited Yes, we have just had an eclipse in parts of Europe. In the UK the optometry, ophthalmology professions, the RNIB and the NHS all advised against using eclipse viewers, and recommended only indirect methods. A UK company tested 150 viewers and found 2 to be faulty. In France millions of viewers were withdrawn as the did not provide protection, but millions had already been issued. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is monitoring any damage. According to early reports at Moorfields Eye Hospital they had about 1000 calls from worried members of the public, 100 were examined and 2 had damage. You might want to contact them for case histories. GEM
Quote: > As the author of two books about eclipse-observing techniques, I'm always on > the lookout for reports of eye injuries caused by eclipses. If any of you > have seen an injury caused by the latest solar eclipse, I'd like to know > exactly how it happened: what was the victim doing, and why did he/she use > an unsafe technique? > I'm already *very* familiar with the basics of eclipse safety and with the
> work of B. R. Chou and Fred Espenak, so there's no need to repost basic
> information here. All I'm looking for right now are reports of specific
> cases, so I can gather evidence about exactly what misunderstandings are
> involved in injuries that still take place.
> My impression is that in the United States, eclipse injuries have become
> quite uncommon, but the recent European eclipse passed through an
> unprecedently densely populated area and probably gave people the
> opportunity to make any possible mistake.
> Many thanks.
> Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
> Author, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE AMATEUR (Cambridge U. Press, 1999, 1991,
> 1985)
> Co-author, CAMBRIDGE ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE (Cambridge U. Press, 1994)
> http://www.CovingtonInnovations.com/astro <><
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| Sat, 09 Feb 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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GEM
#8 / 8
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Solar eclipse eye injuries - Case reports solicited See http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7208/469 GEM Quote:
> > As the author of two books about eclipse-observing techniques, I'm
always
> on
> > the lookout for reports of eye injuries caused by eclipses. If any of
you
> > have seen an injury caused by the latest solar eclipse, I'd like to know
> > exactly how it happened: what was the victim doing, and why did he/she
> use
> > an unsafe technique?
> > I'm already *very* familiar with the basics of eclipse safety and with
the
> > work of B. R. Chou and Fred Espenak, so there's no need to repost basic
> > information here. All I'm looking for right now are reports of specific
> > cases, so I can gather evidence about exactly what misunderstandings are
> > involved in injuries that still take place.
> > My impression is that in the United States, eclipse injuries have become
> > quite uncommon, but the recent European eclipse passed through an
> > unprecedently densely populated area and probably gave people the
> > opportunity to make any possible mistake.
> > Many thanks.
> > Michael A. Covington / AI Center / The University of Georgia
> > Author, ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE AMATEUR (Cambridge U. Press, 1999,
1991,
> > 1985)
> > Co-author, CAMBRIDGE ECLIPSE PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE (Cambridge U. Press,
1994)
> > http://www.CovingtonInnovations.com/astro <><
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| Sat, 09 Feb 2002 03:00:00 GMT |
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