College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences

Dr. Dimitrios Karamichos featured in the Dallas Morning News

February 12, 2024 • faculty, SBS

Nteri Dk HighresDr. Dimitrios Karamichos, Interim Dean of CBTS and Executive Director of the North Texas Eye Research Institute, recently spoke to the Dallas Morning News about why it is important to protect your eyes during the upcoming total solar eclipse. 

Here’s an excerpt from the story:

When a total solar eclipse comes to the Dallas-Fort Worth area on April 8, and the moon starts to cover the sun in the sky, it may feel safe to sneak a peek without eclipse glasses.But experts say that staring at the sun for as little as 5 seconds can damage your eyes. Look longer, and that damage could become permanent.

“Basically, you’re killing the photoreceptors from within,” said Dimitrios Karamichos, executive director of the North Texas Eye Research Institute at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

Karamichos said permanent damage to the retina can happen in 60 to 100 seconds or less.The retina doesn’t have pain receptors, meaning the damage can happen without us feeling it.

Read the full article here: Why you shouldn’t look at a solar eclipse without eye protection