Visual prognosis after solar retinopathy.

The possibility of visual damage after direct observation of the sun has been known since ancient times and the clinical features of solar retinopathy have been well described (DukeElder, I954). Eclipse watching is the commonest cause of solar retinopathy, but this form of eye injury has also been described in flying personnel, gunners and air observers (Flynn, 1952), as a result of religious rituals involving observation of the sun (Das, Nirankari, and Chaddah, I956), after sunbathing (Ridgway, I967), and after the application of the Bates method for strengthening the eye-sight (Knudtzon, I948). Cases of deliberate self-inflicted retinal damage against a background of mental illness and drug-taking have recently been described by Eigner (I966) and Gilkes (I968). When viewing conditions are suitable, each solar eclipse is still followed by cases of solar retinopathy. The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the lasting visual damage which can follow a solar retinal burn, to stress the inadequacy or ineffectiveness of most socalled protective measures, and to advocate increasing public awareness of the possible dangers of sungazing so that the incidence of this avoidable and potentially serious form of eye injury may be reduced.