More than 115 people who witnessed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month suffered eye damage following the event, according to ophthalmologists in the province.

The Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) said it had received 118 cases of reported eye complications since April 8.

The OAO added in a statement to CTV News Toronto that corneal inflammation, dry eyes, and solar retinopathy were among the cases reported.

A spokesperson for the organization said that while corneal inflammation typically heals over a few days, solar retinopathy can cause permanent vision loss in extreme cases.

The OAO noted that the severity of the cases depends on the affected part of the retina and the duration of the patient's exposure to the sun.

In the lead-up to April 8, health and government officials warned of the dangers of looking directly at the sun during the eclipse. Those participating were advised to wear certified eclipse glasses to prevent eye damage.

The OAO stated that the cases were not concentrated in any specific part of the province and ranged from Windsor to Ottawa.

Geographically, most of Ontario was not within the so-called path of totality, where the sun was completely obscured by the moon. Cities within the path, including Hamilton and Niagara Falls, were significantly affected by cloud cover.

The organization said that this cloud cover, along with the fact that many people were using eclipse glasses, likely helped reduce the number of reports of eye complications received by the OAO office.

In Quebec, where parts of the province witnessed totality for a few minutes, 28 cases of eye damage had been reported as of April 17.