Eye experts issue 'worst' warning after ‘rawdogging’ eclipse highlights hibernating danger

A woman who claims to have watched the solar eclipse without protective glasses is 'sharing dangerously misleading advice,' an optician has said.

Instagram user Khaos with K said she experienced a 'high, powerful energy' while seemingly staring at the sun during the United Kingdom's historic solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12.

Posting a video to social media which has amassed over one million views and in which the sun appears to be reflecting in her pupils, K bragged that she hadn't gone blind while 'raw dogging' the eclipse.

"Mate, I am fully raw dogging this eclipse with no glasses. Am I blind? No, I'm not," she said in the clip.

"Am I feeling some sort of high, powerful, energy? Yeah, I am. I can't explain it.

"I can see colours coming off it.

"This is like my first experience of an eclipse ever. All the other ones I've never been spiritual or bothered, but this is pretty cool."

Opticians blasts woman for staring at the sun

Unsurprisingly, opticians have lambasted K's method of watching the eclipse and bragging about it on social media.

Tina Patel, an optician with Feel Good Contacts, told LADbible: "People claiming they've watched the solar eclipse without any eye protection and got away with it are sharing dangerously misleading advice."

While Mfazo Hove, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon founder of Blue Fin Vision, said: “Raw-dogging the eclipse by looking directly at the Sun without proper protection is one of the worst things you can do for your eyes."

Warning: The below video contains strong language.

Both explained that the danger with watching an eclipse is that because the sun is covered or appears dimmer, people are more likely to look at the sun for longer than they would typically do even thought it's still radiating dangerous light.

Intense exposure to light can damage the sensitive cells at the back of the eyes, causing solar retinopathy.

To make things even worse, as there are no pain receptors in the retinas, damage could be caused without even realising it, making it a hibernating danger that could become apparent later.

Hove adds: “If someone has been looking at the eclipse without certified eclipse glasses and subsequently notices a new blind spot, blurred or distorted vision, increased sensitivity to light or colours looking different, they shouldn’t simply wait for it to disappear.

"They should have their eyes assessed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.”

Patel had more criticism for anyone claiming to have watched the eclipse unprotected without any consequences.

“When somebody tells their friends, family or followers they've watched an eclipse without protection and nothing happened, it can create a false sense of security," she said.

"That's a bit like saying seat belts are unnecessary because you've never been in a car accident.

"The risk is very real, and all it takes is one small look at the sun to cause lasting harm."

Woman explains why she didn't wear glasses for the eclipse

Health experts had been warning repeatedly ahead of the eclipse, the deepest in the UK since 1999 with up to 96 per cent of the sun covered by the moon, that it was extremely dangerous to look at the sun without protection.

However, writing in the caption of her Instagram post, K shared the conspiratorial belief that all the concern was simply a way for companies to drive up demand for certified protection glasses.

"Feel like the glasses is just a huge money making scheme," she wrote.

"Everyone has been OBSESSING over getting some yesterday and today, and im abit gutted I didnt think ahead cause that could've been some big bucks. [sic]"

Demand for the glasses, which block out the sun's harmful rays and allow people to watch the eclipse without damaging their vision, sky rocketed ahead of the eclipse.

The BBC reported a woman in Cardiff paid £20 for a pair.

Yet, it's a small price to pay to ensure you don't melt your eyeballs, with alternative safe ways to watch the eclipse including colanders, cereal boxes and pinholes.

LADbible has approached Khaos with K for comment.

How often do solar eclipses occur and when are the next ones?

Wednesday’s solar eclipse is the closest to a total eclipse we’ve seen in the UK in 27 years. Brits will have to wait another 64 years to see the next total solar eclipse and 55 years for a comparable partial eclipse.

Here are the upcoming solar eclipses in the UK:

2030 - 50 percent eclipse

2053 - 40 percent

2066 - 60 percent

2075 - 70 percent

2081 - 99 percent

2082 - 70 percent

2088 - 40 percent

2090 - 100 percent