Public advised to stay indoors, avoid looking at solar eclipse.

RAWALPINDI -- Looking directly at the solar eclipse could irreversibly damage eyesight and people should even avoid doing so while wearing protective glasses, the chief consultant at Al Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, Dr Nadeem Qureshi, said on Saturday.

Pakistan will witness a solar eclipse today (Sunday), and doctors and scientists have advised that people avoid looking at the solar eclipse with or without protective eyewear due to the ultraviolet rays emitted during peak summer.

Dr Qureshi said this eclipse is being called the Ring of Fire, as the moon appears directly over the sun and the halo it will create will emit an intense light.

He said it is very important to keep eyes protected during this time, as the intense light emitted will transmit far too much sunlight and could cause serious injury to the eyes according to the American Astronomical Society's website.

He said the public should take precautions for themselves and their children.

Dr Qureshi said ultraviolet rays can cause severe and permanent damage to the eyes by causing a burn on the central part of the...

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