Both estimate they had glanced up for about 20 seconds or so — each using a different eye. Immediately afterward, Tomososki’s right eye and Duvall’s left eye bothered them slightly.

“We had looked down at the ground and you’re still looking at part of the eclipse like it’s imprinted in your eye,” Duvall said.

It was only through separate eye exams later that both men learned they had permanently damaged their retinas. For Tomososki, his “good eye” compensates for his “bad” one when both are open. When his left eye is closed, however, he sees a “scrambled, whitish spot” through his right eye.