When the moon fully eclipses the sun, it's not just the sky that changes. Your eyes do, too. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

In and around totality — the brief moments during a total solar eclipse when the moon fully hides the sun — the sudden shift from light to darkness can profoundly change color perception.

As a solar eclipse approaches totality and our eyes adjust to dimming light, our color vision changes. It’s called the Purkinje effect.