Google searches about "hurt eyes" spiked following the total solar eclipse, suggesting that some people are worried about possible injuries, NBC News reported April 8.
There's limited data about the prolonged injuries following solar eclipses. Only about 100 patients reported "eclipse-related retinopathy" after the 2017 total solar eclipse. Children and young adults were most likely to be affected, based on a technical report by the American Astronomical Society.
The total solar eclipse crossed North America on April 8. Its path of totality — the narrow strip of land where the full eclipse was visible — spanned from Central Texas to Northeastern Maine. NASA estimates 31.6 million people live in the path of totality, covering a much larger swath of the U.S. population than the path of the last solar eclipse in 2017.
In response, hospitals took extra precautions to meet care demands and ensure operations were not disrupted.