What do I do if I have painful eyes after the solar eclipse?

Photokeratitis is a painful inflammatory condition of the eye which is caused from exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) light. Although permanent damage to the eye is possible, discomfort routinely has a duration of 48 to 72 hours. Traditionally this condition has been known by the following terms:

• Flash burns
• Sand man’s eyes
• Welder’s flash
• Snow blindness

Prevention is through the use of appropriate eye protection.

• Treatment
• Remove contact lenses
• Isolate yourself in a dark room
• Consider oral NSAID (ibuprofen)
• Consider artificial tears
• Avoid rubbing eyes

Consider a Vampire eye drop regenerative procedure. This will require you to be in our office for 15 minutes for an evaluation and blood draw. It will take our staff an additional 30 min to process your Vampire eye drops.