This is where I’m confused...they state it’s no brighter than the sun normally is...so why did this happen?
I believe staring at the sun regardless of an eclipse or not is a no no.
“This is where I’m confused...they state it’s no brighter than the sun normally is...so why did this happen?”
Read the article!
It is true that an eclipse is no brighter than the normal sun - but looking directly at the normal sun for even a quarter of a second can do irreversible damage.
10 to 15 seconds? I’m surprised she can see at all - it must have been partially overcast.
Think of passing your hand through a candle flame. As long as you keep your hand moving you can do it without burning yourself. If you stop or move it too slowly - you will get badly burned. Looking directly at the unfiltered sun is exactly the same principle, but the consequences of a burnt retina can be a lot worse than a burnt patch of skin on your hand.