Why You Need Eclipse Glasses: Man Who Burned Retinas Shares Story

With NASA reminding eclipse-watchers to never, ever look directly at the sun and Amazon recalling eclipse-viewing glasses with dubious certification, a 70-year-old man from Oregon is hoping his story can prevent others from damaging their eyesight. Lou Tomososki said he and a friend suffered permanent vision loss after indulging in what they thought at the time was just a silly dare.

Tomososki spoke to KGW.com in Portland this week ahead of Monday's total solar eclipse. Illinois is a prime viewing spot to see the once-in-a-lifetime solar event, since the state is located along the path of totality — meaning the sun will be virtually blotted out for up to two minutes depending on where you are in the state.

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Tomososki said it was 1962 when he and a pal were watching a partial solar eclipse outside their high school. He told KSW.com he said to his friend, "If you stare at it long enough the brightness goes away." But looking at the partial eclipse without protective glasses turned out to be the biggest mistake of their lives. By nightfall, both teens started having vision problems. A doctor later told Tomososki his retinas had been burned — and more than 50 years later, he's still plagued by vision problems.

“You know how the news people blur a license plate out,” Tomososki told the network. “That’s what I have on the right eye, about the size of a pea, I can’t see around that.” In five decades, he says his vision has never improved. He warned eclipse-watchers to protect their eyes, saying, "It’s not worth taking a chance."

Watch: Eye Protection Is Critical For Viewing The Solar Eclipse

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Feature photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images News/Getty Images