Staring directly at the eclipse could really mess up your eyes

CHICAGO — If you're planning to watch the Great American Eclipse on August 21, then you need to know the dangers of starting directly at the sun.

Staring directly at the sun during an eclipse can cause solar retinopathy,

Symptoms of solar retinopathy include loss of visual sharpness, blind spots, changes in color vision, or distortion when looking at straight lines or grids.

Heating of the retina by one or two degrees is enough to damage retinal cells, which can occur within 30 to 60 seconds of staring at an eclipse, according to doctors who spoke to the Chicago Tribune.

Doctors advise anyone watching the eclipse to use eclipse glasses or the pinhole box method.