As excitement grows for Monday's eclipse, a Queens doctor is warning the public about the dangers of looking at the sun too long.
Dr. Nicolas Biro is a professor of ophthalmology at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. He says staring at the sun over a prolonged period of time could cause burns to the retina, leading to permanent damage.
Patients typically experience a black dot similar to what you see after a photo flash, he said, but this one never goes away.
The doctor warns that people may not even notice until later.
"It would be partial blindness in the center of your vision, usually seen the next day after staring at the sun," Biro said.
Dr. Biro said spectators should use specially-made eclipse glasses to view the phenomenon. Normal sunglasses do not block out the damaging rays.
For more information, head to the American Academy of Ophthalmology's website at www.aao.org