We spoke with eye surgeon Arthur Benjamin about an unusual topic today. Being too immersed in Earthly life, I didn’t even know a solar eclipse was approaching, and many are contemplating viewing this amazing phenomenon with the naked eye. It seems like there’s nothing dangerous about it, since the sun isn’t visible, but is it really safe?

So doctor, what of this impending eclipse? I’m not a fan of the sun, and it has been childhood since I watched a God-forsaken eclipse through smoked glass – I don’t regret that at all. But my friends in sunny California are preparing intensively. 

That’s understandable – the solar eclipse, which takes place on August 21st, is a total eclipse and only visible in the US. The next such eclipse won’t occur until September 2nd, 2035, but this is no reason to risk your eyes. Though, we will see 

I’m not sure that I’ll live to see the next one. I’ll have to watch this one in a week, especially since it’s exclusive to the residents of our country. So it won’t be visible in Russia, for example?

If it is, it’ll only be partial phases in the extreme northeast and Chukchi Peninsula.

It turns out that the sanctions are already working.

In Los Angeles, by the way, it won’t be visible, either. There is an optimal 65-mile zone – optimal for getting in trouble, unfortunately, but I understand why everyone wants to watch.

You’re hinting that it’s dangerous to stare at this natural phenomenon?

It’s dangerous alright. Millions of people will fill the mountains and forests of those states where there’s a big risk of forest fires. And after, patients often complain of spots, a decrease in visual acuity, lack of clarity, and a decrease in contrast. These consequences don’t always manifest themselves right away. People notice these changes in vision later, and many come in with complaints later in the day, in a couple weeks, or even a couple of months.

So what happens to the eyes more specifically?

After an eclipse, there is a surge of retinal injuries, so-called retinal maculopathy. It’s not a joke! In a number of patients, irreversible changes occur caused by direct exposure to solar radiation. It’s clear that signs of deterioration occur first in those who look at the sun without special protection. Macular dystrophy affects the central part of the retina, which is responsible for central vision. The main symptom is dark or cloudy spots in one or both eyes, and image distortion. Traumatic macular degeneration, as is the case in carefree admiration of a solar eclipse, is caused by the impact of an intense beam of light into the eye.

How does it get there? There’s no sun since we have an eclipse. 

The eye receives rays from the rim or crown of the sun not covered by the moon. During an eclipse, overall light decreases and the pupils expand, making them more vulnerable to light, which eventually causes retinal burn.

Retinal burn – it’s pretty clear to anyone what that is, but I have never encountered articles on the dangers of solar eclipses. Was that discovered recently?

It’s been talked about for over a hundred years, and news of it spread throughout Europe in 1912.

It’s understandable not to look at the sun with the naked eye, and that even though it’s called a total eclipse, the crown is still visible. But can you look with dark glasses?

That’s the point – you cannot, even with sunglasses! Those who take that risk, without the help of special lenses that block the entire spectrum of light, should know that regular sunglasses will not protect you. Moreover, they can cause serious damage, because the overall picture is darker and you look longer, and the ultraviolet radiation invisible to you still penetrates. There is also no pain signal because you have obscured the visible light, unaware of the invisible. Furthermore, the sun at any time can pop out from under the moon before you have a chance to avert your eyes.

Above you mentioned the irreversibility of some changes. It’s that serious?

Solar retinal burn leaves dead spots in your central vision, and thus can worsen your vision for life. And although you won’t be completely blind, it’s unlikely you’ll enjoy it.

Well, this has dramatically changed my perspective. When you offered to talk about solar eclipses, I must admit that I thought this was just a topic for me. But now I see that this conversation might save someone from being unaware and burning themselves. 

You must talk about the dangers before, not after. Not to mention that you can lose your drivers license.

Well, what about those who can’t live without watching the eclipse, although a quick internet search will give you an incomparably better picture than what your eyes can offer?

They need to buy special glasses that can block the whole spectrum; they’re called eclipse glasses. They are 17 thousand times darker than the conventional ones. But I must warn that even this does not guarantee safety and cannot save the retina from trauma.

I already looked up prices; they cost anywhere from $2 to $400, and the latter probably have diamonds. And it’s easy to predict another question from readers: if special glasses are ok, what about a camera, binoculars, or a telescope? 

I wouldn’t advise it. If you don’t have special glasses, then a pinhole camera is relatively safe – that is, a camera without a lens, the role of which is played by a small hole. Or they say you can look at the shadow of a tree, which is quite interesting for children. In any case, remember that no matter how fascinating it is, do not look for more than a few seconds.

Or look at any number of spectacular photos. Less risk, more fun. Thank you for the interview!

Be A Hero For Your Eyes This Solar Eclipse 2024

Сегодня мы с Артуром Бенджамином поговорили на необычную тему. Земную жизнь пройдя до половины, я и не слышал, что приближается великое солнечное затмение. Существует много любителей посозерцать это удивительное, с их точки зрения, явление, причем своими, т.е. голыми глазами. Казалось бы ничего опасного – солнца-то не видно. Но так ли это?

– Доктор, а в чем эпохальность грядущего затмения? Я не отношусь к солнечным фанатам, и со времен детства, когда мы смотрели на какое-то давно уж забытое богом затмение через закопченные стекла, – не видел ни одного затмения и не жалею ни разу. Но мои знакомые в солнечной Калифорнии усиленно готовятся.

– Ваших знакомых можно понять: солнечное затмение, которое состоится 21 августа, – полное солнечное затмение, которое можно будет наблюдать только на территории США. Следующее такое затмение произойдёт 

. Но это не повод рисковать глазами.

– Не уверен, что доживу до следующего, придется через пару недель смотреть на это, тем более, что оно эксклюзивное – только для жителей нашей страны. А что, Россия, к примеру, его не увидит?

– Если и увидит, то только частные фазы на крайнем северо-востоке и на Чукотском полуострове.

– Получается, что санкции уже работают.

– Из Лос-Анджелеса, кстати, его тоже не будет видно. Есть специальная карта, там – оптимальная 65-мильная зона. Оптимальная для получения неприятностей, к сожалению. Но я понимаю, что всем хочется посмотреть.

– Вы намекаете, что бездумно глазеть на этот природный феномен опасно?

– Опасно и еще как. Миллионы людей заполонят горы и леса тех штатов, в которых есть большой риск лесных пожаров. Но не только это. После созерцания пациенты нередко жалуются на появление пятна перед глазом, снижение остроты зрения, отсутствие чёткости и снижение контрастности восприятия. Бывает, что последствия любопытства не всегда проявляются сразу, изменения зрения люди замечают позже, многие приходят с жалобами через сутки, пару недель, а то и через пару месяцев после затмения.

– А что происходит с глазами более конкретно?

– Более конкретно будет звучать слишком специально для широкого читателя: истончение линии пигментного эпителия, что свидетельствует об его атрофии в сочетании с деструкцией наружных сегментов фоторецепторов сетчатки. Повышение рефлективности хориоидеи, что скорее всего связано с нарушением светопоглощающей функции пигментного эпителия.

– Даже для меня, который проводит с вами беседы не первый год, это и вправду чуть сложновато. Давайте тогда попробуем попроще?

– После затмения наблюдается всплеск обращений с травмами сетчатки, так называемой солнечной макулопатией. Это не шутки! У ряда пациентов происходят необратимые изменения, вызванные прямым воздействием солнечного излучения. Понятно, что признаки ухудшения зрения в первую очередь появляются у тех, кто следил за солнцем без специальной защиты. Макулярная дистрофия поражает центральную часть сетчатки, которая отвечает за центральное зрение. Основным симптомом является темное или мутное пятно перед одним или обоими глазами, искажение изображения. Травматическая макулодистрофия, как в случае с беспечным любованием солнечным затмением, вызвана попаданием в глаз интенсивного пучка света.

– А каким образом он туда попадает, ведь солнца-то вроде нет, раз уж мы имеем затмение?

–  В глаз попадают лучи от ободка или короны солнца, не закрытой луной. Во время затмения падает общая освещенность, зрачок расширяется, что делает его более уязвимым для светового пучка, который в итоге вызывает ретинальный ожог. И чем быстрее с такими симптомами вы придете к врачу, тем лучше.

– Ожог сетчатки – вот это уже звучит понятно для всех. Ловлю себя на том, что ни разу не встречал статей о вреде солнечного затмения. Об этом стало известно недавно?

– Об этом известно более ста лет, в Европе весть разнеслась еще в 1912 г.

– Ну, понятно же, с другой стороны, что «голыми глазами» смотреть на солнце не стоит, а затмение только называется полным, корона все равно видна. Но в темных очках-то можно?

– В том-то и дело, что даже в солнцезащитных очках нельзя! Те, кто берет на себя риск любоваться этой ослепительной красотой без помощи специальных линз, блокирующих весь спектр света, должны знать, что обычные «темные очки» не защитят их глаз. Более того, они могут нанести даже БОЛЬШИЙ УЩЕРБ, потому что общая картина темнеет и вы смотрите дольше, но невидимое для вас ультрафиолетовое излучение проникает сквозь очки. Коварство солнцезащитных очков в случае затмения состоит в том, что нет болевого сигнала, потому что вы затемнили видимый свет, не подозревая о свете невидимом. К тому же солнце в любой момент может выскочить «из-под» луны и преподнести вам сюрприз до того, как вы успеете отвести глаза.

– Вы упомянули о необратимости некоторых изменений. Что, прямо настолько

– Солнечные ожоги сетчатки оставляют пожизненные мертвые точки в центре вашего зрения и тем самым могут ухудшить зрение на всю оставшуюся жизнь. И хотя они не сделают вас полностью слепым, это вряд ли это послужит большим утешением.

– Что ж, я резко меняю свою точку зрения. Когда вы предложили ни с того, ни с сего поговорить о солнечном затмении, я, признаться, подумал: тоже мне тема. А сейчас вижу, что этот разговор, может быть, спасет кого-то от ожогов, полученных по причине неведения.

– Об опасности нужно говорить до, а не после. Уже не говоря о том, что вы можете лишиться водительских прав.

– Ну хорошо, а как быть тем, кто жить не может без солнечного затмения и обязательно уставится в небеса, хотя качество фотографий, которые можно будет найти в интернете через минуту, будет несравненно выше картинки «своими глазами»?

– Таким людям нужно приобрести специальные очки, подавляющие весь спектр; по-английски они называются eclipse glasses. Они в 17 тысяч раз темнее обычных солнцезащитных.  Но я должен предупредить, что даже эта мера не гарантирует безопасности и может не спасти сетчатку от травмы.

– Я уж тут глянул на цены: они стоят от пары долларов до четырехсот, эти последние, видимо, с бриллиантами. Легко предвидеть другой вопрос читателей: а если в спецочках смотреть на солнце еще и через фотокамеру, бинокль или телескоп?

– Не советую: увеличение также может привести к повреждениям глаза. Если у вас нет специальных очков, то относительно безопасна пинхол-камера, или камера обскура, т.е. своего рода фотографический аппарат без объектива, роль которого выполняет малое отверстие. Или вы можете смотреть, скажем, на тень от дерева, что по крайней мере для детей тоже довольно интересно. В любом случае помните, что каким бы завораживающим не было это зрелище, не смотрите дольше пары секунд.

– Ну или смотрите сколько угодно на эффектные фотографии. Меньше риска, но больше удовольствия. 

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SOLAR ECLIPSE: DON'T LOOK AT IT - Benjamin Eye Institute

СОЛНЕЧНОЕ ЗАТМЕНИЕ: НЕ ПРОСМОТРИТЕ ГЛАЗА

Such a rare and "burning" phenomenon is a solar eclipse. To see the light and not go blind you will need special equipment, but a warning -  even this doesn't guarantee safety for your eyes. I would prefer to write in big letters "DON'T REPEAT IT AT HOME", but what to do with people who couldn't live without SOLAR ECLIPSE?

Дабы не ослепнуть от величия солнечного затмения, рекомендуем прочитать данную статью. Расскажем существует ли правильная экипировка, в чем уникальность явления и какие симптомы наиболее опасны. 



SOLAR ECLIPSE: DON'T LOOK AT IT

Staff was very personable and accommodated my needs.  Dr Benjamin was very professional and great bedside manner.  I would highly recommend the office to friend and family

An awesome experience as is the norm for our visits to Dr Benjamin. We have trusted him and his office with our multiple surgeries and care for many years, and plan to continue forward. Thank you Dr Benjamin, and your staff.

Great front desk and tech staff. The doctor was super nice and I’m so pleased I found this eye institute! Everyone was great and happy to finally have taken care of an appointment I had been putting off for a while. Great check-in process also for first time patients.

⭐️ My review of LASIK after one year ⭐️I told Dr. Benjamin I would do this a while ago, but I kind of feel like it says a lot I have kept this on my checklist for a year. I feel like a year is a good amount of time to review a procedure like this and give my honest thoughts and recommendation.So, let me tell you about my journey to getting LASIK and how I ended up in the amazing care of Dr. Benjamin. After going to an optometrist for years and him advising against LASIK because of my genetically dry eyes, I finally got a second opinion from an ophthalmologist (Dr. Benjamin). I didn’t know the difference between an optometrist vs. opthalmologist, but once I learned it kind of made sense why my optometrist didn’t want me getting LASIK lol. Because he couldn’t sell me on contact lenses or glasses for the foreseeable future if I got my vision corrected :) I mean, who knows, but I am glad I got a second opinion.I figured being in Los Angeles with some of the best doctors in the world… if anyone is going to touch my big, blue eyeballs, might as well get it done while I’m here. I found this business due to the reviews and they seemed to really know what they were doing and how to talk to clients.Upon meeting Dr. Benjamin he told me that I wasn’t a candidate for LASIK with my dry eyes, but he could put me through treatments for dry eyes and reevaluate after; and that these treatments had a good success rate for most.So, I started doing two treatments every other week for about 2.5 months - IPL laser treatment and Lipiflow. Lipiflow, especially, was a weird painless experience but highly recommend anyone with dry eyes to ask about it regardless of LASIK. I could tell my eyes felt way less dry a couple days after each treatment. There are videos on YouTube that talk about this treatment… Who knew this stuff existed. I’m not gonna lie, it’s an investment to do all these treatments on top of LASIK, but my eyes rarely feel dry anymore so if you’re going to get it done - do it right.Finally, I was approved for LASIK. I ended up waiting until the end of year to make sure I saved up the funds to do it and had some time to heal. I also took advantage of an end of year deal they were offering. $1000 off was a pretty nice forcing function to get me to finally do it after prepping my eyes with the treatments. The procedure itself I couldn’t feel anything even though I was awake the entire time (medicated). Even the scary part when bubbles form on your eyes Dr. Benjamin let me know about in advance so when it happened I just went with the flow. I think the worst part was the recovery the few days after and coming home drugged up lol. I remember day 1 thinking omg what did I do to my eyes. My eyes just hurt and felt weird, but omg I could see 20/15 immediately. And then, day by day it gradually got better. It took a few weeks for my eyes to heal, but after 1 month you couldn’t even tell I had surgery. One eye was a bit more bloodshot than the other.I can see 20/15. It’s been life changing for the past year not having to worry about contacts or glasses. I just got married and was able to walk down the aisle with clear vision. I only wish I had the means to have done this earlier in life. If you’re considering it - do it! And definitely consider Dr. Benjamin to do it right.Lastly, to continue treating my dry eyes, Dr. Benjamin gave me an extra LipiFlow treatment, and also recommended I try punctal plugs (painless plugs inserted into your lids that help your tears last longer). He placed the plugs in my eyes under 5 mins. Wild.I heard from people during the LASIK process they have been nervous to get the procedure so I wrote this to help and because I think highly of this business for changing my life. And, some of the dry eye treatments I would’ve never known about had it not been for them. Again, I wish I would have had been able to do this years ago. It is so, so worth it!Thank you, Dr. Benjamin (and staff!)

Concerned about a reoccurring virus, I text Dr Benjamin’s office first thing in the morning seeking immediate advice and an appointment. In quick time I received both sage advice and a same day appointment. Dr B takes a personal interest in his patients well being and has diligent, competent and attentive staff to support the care and support needed. Can’t speak highly enough.

Been going to Dr B for nearly a decade after trying many other eye doctors in LA.  Beyond solving my chronic dry eye and being the most knowledgeable, he is an all-around great guy and spends time educating. The staff is wonderful as well.

The ophthalmologist that performed my surgery, Dr. Benjamin, was extremely skilled and knowledgeable. He took the time to thoroughly explain the procedure and answer all of my questions. I felt confident in his abilities and knew that I was in good hands.

Dr Benjamin and his team are extremely professional. I had Lasik surgery performed by him and his team and everything to date has gone exactly as described to me. Front office is very friendly and scheduling appointments is easy.

The office staff were kind and considerate. The technician that assisted me explained everything she was doing. The Doctor was very nice and explained everything. He was definitely knowledgeable about my condition.

Dr Benjamin has been the “go to” eye specialist for 3 generations of my family, starting with my father and now grown children. Simply put, he’s an exceptionally capable, trustworthy, and cutting edge doctor with a courteous and professional staff.Without any reservations, I recommend him to anyone seeking an exceptional eye doctor.

The surgeons at Benjamin Eye Institute are true experts in their field - they were able to explain the procedure in detail and answer all of my questions and concerns. The surgery itself was quick and painless, and the recovery was much faster than I had anticipated.

I just completed my first visit and can say that this office deserves every high ranking it gets. The staff are efficient, friendly but highly professional.  The office is modern and sparkling clean. The examination was smooth and thorough. The doctor saw me on time.  He listened closely to the background of my problem, and he clearly communicated his treatment plan and the rationale for it. I absolutely trust him and highly recommend him.

Dr. Benjamin is always personable and thoughtful and very much an expert.  He has been my eye doctor for many years.  Now that I am older I am very grateful that he is still my ophthalmologist. Everyone in the office is very helpful. I, of course, highly recommend Dr. Benjamin.

One of the things that sets the Benjamin Eye Institute apart from other ophthalmology practices is their team of experienced and highly trained surgeons. The surgeons at the Benjamin Eye Institute have performed thousands of cataract and LASIK surgeries, and have a wealth of experience in these procedures. They are committed to providing the best possible care for their patients and strive to achieve excellent outcomes.

No exaggeration, this was the best visit with any doctor I've ever had. The facility is very nice, the staff is exceptionally thorough, professional, and efficient and Dr Arthur had by far the best bed side manner I've ever encountered. I 100% recommend him and his team

My experience at Benjamin Eye Institute was exceptional.  I’m not sure if I’ve ever encountered such an efficient and professional staff in a doctor’s office.  The front desk was communicative and everyone up to the doctor was beyond detailed in their care.  I would recommend this place to anyone who has eye problems because they have the most advanced equipment and Dr. Benjamin is caring, thorough and knowledgeable.

Dr Benjamin and his staff are excellent! 3/5 members of my family are patients from senior to adult to teen. Great care and professionalism. Highly recommend!

Immediately after  cataract surgery, I can see my husband’s face accross the room for the first time in 40 years! No more glasses since childhood, both distance and close up. If you are thinking, should you spend the big bucks to see everything both near and far?  I can tell you it’s so worth it! Thank you Dr. Benjamin and all the wonderful people in your office! I appreciate your efficiency, attentiveness, professionalism and welcoming space! Please feel free to use me as a reference any time!

I can’t ever express my deep gratitude for Dr . Benjamin and his entire extraordinary team at the Benjamin Eye Institute.I was nervous as eyes are so sensitive,  but his incredibly kind receptionists and nurses make you feel at ease and diminish all fears right away . He offers impeccable medical knowledge and state of the art technology to heal . My son and I have both experienced his phenomenal treatment and have had all our eye issues resolved . I am so thankful and can’t recommend him and the Benjamin Eye Institute highly enough 🙏

Dr.Benjamin is the best of the best.Very personable, knowledgeable and kind.I had a stye and in a bad shape.He  took me right in.His staff polite , kind and very professional.Highly recommended.

My 18-year-old son has been under Dr. Benjamin's care, and we were truly impressed by the level of service we received at Benjamin Eye Institute. From the moment we stepped into the clinic, the staff was incredibly helpful and accommodating.Dr. Benjamin conducted a comprehensive eye exam for my son, and his expertise and professionalism were evident throughout the entire process. He took the time to explain everything clearly, making sure my son understood his eye health and any potential concerns. His patience and attentiveness were truly appreciated.We highly recommend Dr. Benjamin to anyone seeking exceptional eye care. He and his team exceeded our expectations, and we are grateful for the outstanding service we received. Thank you, Dr. Benjamin!

Dr Benjamin and Alba were great. He is very professional, kind and with clear explanations. I had an eyelid quick surgery and I’m just missing the glasses prescription, I left the office and forgot to ask for it. But he and his team were amazing!

I was referred to Dr. Benjamin from both my eye doctor and a very close friend of mine who also had her LASIK performed there. My experience was exceptional. Every single person that you meet in the office is a joy to work with. Whether it was the constant and clear communication, or the fact that they were always listening to feedback and answering my questions and concerns, they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable trusting my vision to them. They were very kind and never once pressured me into anything (including when I had to push my surgery back after I broke my leg).I would recommend this place to anyone who has eye problems because they have the most advanced equipment and Dr. Benjamin is caring, thorough and knowledgeable.

Top notch service and staff! By far the best experience I’ve had at a doctors office in 20 years. I wish every office was as well trained, friendly, and professional as Benjamin Eye Institute. Seriously if you have eye problems you won’t find a better doctor.

More than everything I value professional people. Dr. Arthur Benjamin is one of them. He is taking care of me and my husband for pretty long time. All I can say we are very thankful to the doctor and people who work as a team to make us healthy and happy !

LASIK Eye Surgery- The short is go see Dr. Benjamin!I visited Dr. Benjamin Eye Institute after deciding I wanted to learn more about Lasik eye surgery and what the process would look like. I stare at computer screens for very long periods of time so I was nervous to make this life change but ready to ditch my glasses for good! The entire team from day 1 of my consultation made me feel very comfortable. The office is clean the staff are extremely welcoming, friendly and all took the time to answer any questions I had about the procedure - which was very quick and painless the day of. They also have awesome social content for educational purposes and just to make you laugh!I am about a month post procedure and it has been life changing and a freedom restored. Your eyes are important so make sure you consult with the best.Thank you Dr. Benjamin and team!!!

Dr. Benjamin is an exceptional doctor and eye surgeon. He is innovative, and anticipates a patient’s needs. Above all Dr. Benjamin is kind and caring. My results are outstanding. I can thank him for changing my life. Thank you.

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