Osakidetza is setting up a special ophthalmology plan for 12 August. The Basque health service is ensuring specialist cover in the emergency departments of major hospitals and increasing evening and night shifts. The hospitals named are Cruces, Txagorritxu and Donostia University Hospitals; management also expects higher demand at other hospitals with ophthalmology services and is planning additional resources. Ophthalmology appointments are also being adjusted around the date of the Solar eclipse to meet anticipated additional demand promptly.
The Basque Government’s health department is warning in advance of preventable retinal damage caused by direct sunlight. It recommends viewing the event from home where possible, avoiding unnecessary journeys and using only approved, ISO-compliant protective glasses. According to the authorities, even with approved filters, looking directly at the Sun continuously for more than about 45 seconds is considered risky.
The warning reflects the event’s particular visibility in Euskadi. A total eclipse will be visible across large parts of the Basque Country in the late afternoon; in Álava and the Rioja Alavesa it will last the longest, while in Gipuzkoa it will be total only in the south. The expected number of visitors and the high level of initiative among many observers make precautionary measures and clear safety advice all the more important, in the authorities’ view.
The experts’ assessment is clear: photochemical and thermal damage to the retina occurs without pain and is often noticed only hours later, but can cause lasting vision loss. Public preparations are therefore focused on prevention and the prompt treatment of possible injuries. Osakidetza says the special plan is needed because events of this kind regularly lead to a short-term increase in demand for ophthalmology services, and the aim is to ensure swift, safe treatment.
The authorities’ position and medical planning can be clearly distinguished: ophthalmology on-call cover and consultations have in fact been expanded for 12 August, and safety advice has been published. The expectation of increased patient numbers as a result of inappropriate sun exposure is an assessment. Looking ahead, officials expect a limited, short-term rise in emergency and follow-up examinations if the advice is widely followed; they expect higher numbers if protective measures are ignored.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).