Cooper sunburns eyes; temporarily blinded

NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Television journalist Anderson Cooper said Tuesday he went blind for 36 hours last week after sunburning his retinas while on assignment in Portugal.

"I wake up in the middle of the night and it feels like my eyes are on fire, my eyeballs and I think, 'Oh, maybe I have sand in my eyes or something,'" UsMagazine.com reported Cooper said on Tuesday's edition of his daytime talk show "Anderson Live."

"I douse my eyes with water. Anyway, it turns out I have sunburned my eyeballs and I go blind. I went blind for 36 hours," he said.

UsMagazine.com said he underwent medical treatment in Portugal and has since recovered.