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Doctors detected a yellow dot in both eyes of a 62-year-old man who has been looking directly at the sun for years.
As a religious practice, an unidentified man from New Delhi said that he stares at the sun every day for five to ten minutes soon after sunrise. He said that he has been practicing the ritual for the last 35 years. Doctors believe that this practice began from Hira Ratan Manek, a known advocate of the belief that sun-gazing has certain benefits.
After experiencing blurry vision for four months, the man sought medical help. Initially, doctors thought his condition was caused by hypertension, which may impair retinal blood vessels and lead to eyesight problems. Upon examination, however, the doctors discovered a discrete yellow dot in the inner part of the man’s eyes.
This dot is known to be a sign of solar retinopathy / ˌrɛt nˈɒp ə θi /, an eye condition caused by damage to the retina due to chronic sun exposure. The doctors were able to confirm the man’s condition when he told them about his daily ritual.
Meanwhile, another case of solar retinopathy was also found in a 12-year-old girl from Florida. The girl reportedly stared at the sun for only one minute. She complained of blurry vision the next day. After visiting an eye doctor, the doctors found her retina damaged.
There is still no cure for the ailment, but some cases improve within six months. While the condition is usually caused by the sun, it may also be caused by any source of intense light. As such, experts strongly advise against looking directly at welding torches and light from laser pointers.