Pilgrims visiting County Mayo tomorrow, in the hope of seeing an apparition of the Virgin Mary, have been warned by medical experts not to stare at the sun.

Faith healer, Joe Coleman, the same man who predicted a tsunami wave would hit Europe and the United States on Sunday, May 10, has also predicted that the Virgin Mary will appear at the Knock Shrine, in County Mayo, tomorrow at about 3pm.

Last October Coleman was joined by more than 10,000 pilgrims who waited patiently at Knock to see an apparition.

Coleman reported that people had witnessed the sun "spinning" and "twirling" in the sky.

However shortly after this pilgrimage five patients were treated, by a leading eye consultant, for serious eye damage.

Charities such as Fighting Blindness, the National Council for the Blind in Ireland and Fight for Sight have warned pilgrims to be aware that permanent damage can be caused by looking directly into the sun.

Coincidently this warning comes at the launch of Ireland’s vision week to raise awareness for the blind and eye health in general.

Bernard Jennings, of Fight for Sight said that starring directly into the sun can burn the nervous tissue in the retina. This cannot be treated or replaced.

The general manager of the charity Fighting Blindness, Avril Daly said “"(People) can get caught up in a situation like this and get caught up in the moment. But you only have one pair of eyes."

Coleman has said that the apparition of the Virgin Mary tomorrow is a precursor to the Second Coming of Jesus.