Sore eye after using Baader solar film

[Multi-Coated]

Spaceboy for your own piece of mind, I would advise going to your opticians to have a quick check up to make sure your eye is ok and that there isn't an underlying problem creating this irritation.

Hope your eye gets better real quick!

James

Spaceboy , i think James is right , not wanting to tell you how to suck eggs but i really would be getting your eyes tested if not just for piece of mind prior to any additional observing . Think you'll find its down to something other than the filter issue. Rob.

[spaceboy]

Thanks all for the info and advice. My eye is still sore so I got some eye drops which has had no real effect. I think I will replace the film even though it looks fine. I had bought some new the other day with the intension of making a filter for the MAK so I will have to use that. If it happens again I'm knocking solar observing on the head

I agree I should get down the opticians but I can hazard a guess already at the lecture he will no doubt give about looking at the sun and consider any problem with my eye as self inflicted. Just thinking it will be embarrassing as the receptionist will be thinking dumbass didn't your mum ever tell you not to look at the sun

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Spaceboy for your own piece of mind, I would advise going to your opticians to have a quick check up to make sure your eye is ok and that there isn't an underlying problem creating this irritation.

Hope your eye gets better real quick!

James

Best advice so far, I think.

[brantuk]

Get down the doc's/opticians Spaceboy - even if it turns out not to be the scope it could be something else needing immediate attention. Either way you have nothing to loose and everything to gain by a visit.

[spaceboy]

Sorry guy but for me I have lost all faith in the film and the new sheet is in the for sale section if anyone wants it. It cost me £18 but my eye is in bits so be it what ever I have decided I'm knocking optical observing on the head in favor of solar projection.

Thanks to everyone for the support and advice but maybe I just have sensitive eyes to what little light dose come through. Either way I don't want to go through this again. I had arc eye that didn't last this long.

[brantuk]

If it was a faulty batch you really don't want to be selling it on I think.

[spaceboy]

Get down the doc's/opticians Spaceboy - even if it turns out not to be the scope it could be something else needing immediate attention. Either way you have nothing to loose and everything to gain by a visit.

I think all of you have made a good point about getting it checked. If it's no better by the morning I think I'd best go. Not sure if the Dr's is open but the opticians might be. Do you think it's worth taking the old film and data sheet ??

[spaceboy]

If it was a faulty batch you really don't want to be selling it on I think.

The one I'm selling is a new one from a couple of weeks ago. The film I am using at the moment is from last October.

[tibbs1972]

I have used the safety film, but I prefer not to take any chances. I use the live view function on my camera to observe the sun, it's a much safer option.

I hope nothing is wrong with your eye. Hope all goes well.

[spaceboy]

Thanks Neil. I'm off to bed now in the hope the nights sleep might improve matters.

[spaceboy]

Just a quick update. My eye is feeling a lot better than it was. Despite this I was at the doors waiting for the opticians to open this morning, both for my own piece of mind a the concerns of some members that QC may have relapsed on a batch of solar film.

I explained the situation and went through to have my eyes checked over. I'm relieved to say there was nothing of major concern with my eye so the film is doing as it should. We came to the conclusion that I was not blinking. We unconsciously blink all the time so I can only assume as the sun was so active I was so intent on looking at it that I simply forgot to blink. My right eye is shut any way so that wouldn't have been effected. He explained that during the day that sunlight is not actually the problem but how intense that sunlight is. With varying levels of UVA & UVB constantly bombarding our eyes in some cases UVA damage can occur. This made sense as I usually look at the sun in the morning or evening with no issue but the last couple of times have been when the sun is high in the sky. While I have probably forgotten to blink while observing M42 the sun isn't out and I'm not exposed to any direct or indirect sun light. Not blinking and midday sunlight is the probable cause of irritation to my eye and he advised I soak it in sodium bicarbonate. I thought that was for baking but there you go

I will have to pop out to get a new eyelid relay but other than that my confidence is restored in Baader solar film. While I could choose to change to "risk free" solar projection observing I would still experience the same problem from any reflected sun light and not blinking.

While I feel a total plonker I have decided I will be taking wagers at the PSP on who can stare the longest with out blinking.

[brantuk]

That's a great relief Spaceboy - I'm very glad you're ok - it's allways best to double check in these cases cos the risk ain't worth it - the minor inconveniece far outweighs the benefits of knowing for sure.

Thanks so much for reporting back and do feel free to replace your advert

[pastiche]

Hi spaceboy,

After reading all the posts here I think you should do nothing until you have had your eyes checked by a professional.

It is just not worth the risk. Just imagine if you make things worse and can never use your telescope again

Please get your eyes checked and put all our minds at rest, I can think of nothing worse than damaging your eyes while practising our amazing hobby.

[pastiche]

OOOOPS!! Just read about your trip to the opticians. That will teach me not to read things properly.

Anyway, I am really pleased that it sounds as if it is sorted for you.

I am thinking of getting into solar viewing and your original post scared the living daylights out of me, but now I feel as if I might give it a go. (And I will remember to blink!)

Clear skies

[spaceboy]

That's a great relief Spaceboy - I'm very glad you're ok - it's allways best to double check in these cases cos the risk ain't worth it - the minor inconveniece far outweighs the benefits of knowing for sure.

Thanks so much for reporting back and do feel free to replace your advert

Even with the solar film working as it should I have still endured 2 days of a sore eye that could have been avoided. How I managed it I really don't know. Over enthusiasm or the sun reflecting off the stainless steel tripod who knows? but the fact I don't know means I could do it again. While I intend to cautiously use my solar set up in future Transit of Venus | Explorers - Astronomy Tours I would be lying if I said it hasn't knocked my confidence.

[JamesM]

Glad to hear everything is fine spaceboy! I think your confidence will be making its return very soon for sure. If there has been any good to come out of this incident, it has been to remind us all that we must always treat our own star with the utmost respect and caution.

Again, glad to hear you ok so onward and upward!

James

[Sp@ce_d]

While I feel a total plonker I have decided I will be taking wagers at the PSP on who can stare the longest with out blinking.

Far better to be a sighted plonker than a blind plonker!! The only plonker bit is not getting checked out sooner..You just can't take any chances with your sight. I'm glad this has a happy ending.. I was getting really worried for you reading the thread

[MorningMajor]

Glad things have turned out Ok Spaceboy

General question, what's the best way of checking the filter for any pinprick sized holes?

[Merlin66]

Easiest and fastest way of checking is to hold it up to the sun and look through it.

Any "holes" will show up as bright star points..... they can be masked with "white-out" -Tippex typewriter correction fluid etc.

I have to say, having used the Baader film for many, many, many years I've yet to see or find a pinhole!

In the ol' mylar days of the 60's - yes - there was some "average" stuff around. In the last ten years or so - I've seen nothing.

HTH

[MorningMajor]

Cheers, thanks Merlin - that's what I do, but nice to know I'm not missing something

[spaceboy]

I have in the past found "A" pin hole in Baader safety film so it's not bullet proof by any means. When looking through the filter you may see what looks like pin holes but these are specks of coating that have been missed on one side . What makes Baader so safe is they limit this risk by coating both sides of the film. So if you find a suspect pin hole check it up to the sun on both sides as it may not need masking. If it dose just dotting it with a marker, electrical tape or as Merlin's recommends tipex. Common sense and good judgment is all that's needed when checking the integrity of the film. What is surprising is that there are tolerances that allow for pin hole in the film and it remaining safe to use. JUST FROM MEMORY a pin hole of less that 0.4mm is acceptable but not if there is more than one within a 5mm circle. Not that I would advise anyone to risk using it if a hole was found I'm just merely pointing out that if a pin hole was missed there is a chance that the amount of UVA & UVB entering the EP would still be of an acceptable level. I will try a find where I read this and post it.

I would say my eye is finally back to normal. Thank you again to all for the well wishes. A big lesson has been learned and I will be making sure that both me and the ground around me is properly shaded should I decide to observe the sun again. I'll also be limiting my observations to when the sun is at lower altitudes. If anything I hope my misfortunes have shown that even with the correct gear you have to use the up most caution, that and maybe blink once in a while!!

[Earl]

Is it possible you are allergic to the rubber on the eyecup?

[spaceboy]

Is it possible you are allergic to the rubber on the eyecup?

I've used the EP for several years with out problems. It must just be that I got carried away with trying to take in all the detail and forgot to blink. Our eyes can get sun burnt no different to how our skin dose. Can my Eyes get Sunburned? I think the lack of lubricant in my eye and the midday sun just got the better of me. If I'm out in the sun and my arm gets mild sun burn it may go red and sting for a day or so then the pain subsides and hopefully I end up with a buff bronze tan . While I cannot find put my finger on how it happened I have had a similar although much worse experience with arc eye. I had been busy welding away. Didn't get flashed once, had my mask even when tacking and no-one else was welding around me. Come 6 O'clock on the night I felt like I'd had made a delivery of sand in my eye. Still don't know when it happened. The arc was no doubt reflecting of something below or behind me but at the time I wasn't aware of it. Getting a sore eye while using a scope to look at the sun I naturally thought the worst.

[spaceboy]

JUST FROM MEMORY a pin hole of less that 0.4mm is acceptable but not if there is more than one within a 5mm circle. Not that I would advise anyone to risk using it if a hole was found I'm just merely pointing out that if a pin hole was missed there is a chance that the amount of UVA & UVB entering the EP would still be of an acceptable level.

My memory is terrible: QUOTE from Macavity's link : There is no large opening completely devoid of the protective aluminum coating. While this is a quality control problem, the presence of a defect in the aluminum coating does not necessarily imply that the filter is hazardous. When in doubt, an aluminized polyester solar filter that has coating defects larger than 0.2 mm in size, or more than a single defect in any 5 mm circular zone of the filter, should not be used.

An interesting article: NASA/TP-2002-211618: Chapter 3

[ChrisEdu]

Even though you seem fairly sure that the film / solar observing is to blame, it might well be a good precaution to just give the EP a clean with an antiseptic solution. If you think about it, how many of us ever clean our EPs with something that would kill germs? Now think about the environments in which we use them, often moist, possibly dusty, etc... It would be very interesting / possibly scary to do a swab and culture test from a range of observers' EPs to look for infectious agents.