In Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, a man in his forties recently stared at the sun with his naked eyes for over ten minutes, and a few days later, his vision significantly deteriorated. Hospital examinations revealed severe burns in the macular area of both eyes, reducing his vision to 0.4.
The man, as reported by Ningbo Evening News, had a habit of sunbathing outdoors. On the day of the incident, while sunbathing his back outdoors, he believed that since sunbathing is good for health, “sunbathing the eyes” might also be beneficial for eye protection. Consequently, he stared directly at the sun with his naked eyes for over ten minutes.
During the process of staring at the sun, the man reportedly saw bright spots and colorful light flashes in front of his eyes. After stopping, he briefly experienced mild blurriness in his vision, which quickly subsided, so he did not seek immediate medical attention. However, a few days later, his vision deteriorated rapidly, with objects appearing blurry and even street signs becoming difficult to read.
Subsequently, the man visited the Ningbo Eye Hospital for examination. The results showed severe burns in the macular area of both eyes, causing his vision to drop from the original 1.0 to 0.4.
The attending physician explained that the macular area of the retina is responsible for central vision and color perception, determining visual clarity. It is the most fragile and susceptible area to damage from strong light. Sunlight consists of visible light, ultraviolet rays, and infrared rays. Visible light, after refraction by the lens, focuses on the macular area of the retina. Prolonged exposure to intense light can cause thermal and photochemical damage.
Reportedly, there is no specific treatment for macular burns, mainly relying on supportive medication, observation, and follow-ups. The possibility of complete restoration of vision for the man appears to be low, depending on the extent of damage and the body’s self-healing ability.
After the incident was reported in mainland Chinese media, it has attracted attention. Doctors advise the public not to stare directly at the sun with naked eyes, even when observing phenomena like sunrise, sunset, solar eclipses, or sun halos.