Mumbai, August 7: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently part of the Boeing Crew Flight Test mission, has been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for over 50 days. Along with her crew members, Sunita Williams underwent a comprehensive eye examination. These scans aimed to capture detailed images of the cornea, lens, and optic nerve to better understand how long-duration spaceflight might affect human vision.

This information will aid ongoing research to develop strategies for protecting and treating vision issues that may arise during extended space missions, such as the current 52-day mission. To ensure the accuracy of data collection, the entire process was monitored by media professionals on Earth. Sunita Williams, Barry Butch Wilmore Stuck in Space: NASA Runs 1,00,000 Simulations for Safe Return of Astronauts From International Space Station.

Astronauts on long missions often face eye health issues due to microgravity. The most common is Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS). Symptoms of SANS include vision changes, swelling of the optic disc, flattening of the eyeball, and folds in the choroid layer. These problems are mainly caused by fluid shifts in the body due to the lack of gravity. On Earth, gravity pulls fluids down to the lower body, but in space, fluids move up towards the head, increasing pressure in the skull and affecting eye shape and function. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Get Rare Day Off Aboard ISS, THIS Is How They Spent One-Day Holiday.

Understanding these medical issues is crucial to carrying out missions that last longer. This will ensure that astronauts maintain good eye health during frequent and longer missions. Regular checkups and continuous research are vital for creating effective strategies and treatments to safeguard astronauts' vision and overall health while they are in space.

It is reported that Williams is already encountering several serious health challenges due to prolonged exposure to microgravity, which causes rapid bone density loss. In microgravity, bones do not support weight, leading to a density loss similar to osteoporosis.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2024 08:34 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).