Warning: 7 Ways to Protect Yourself During the Eclipse

All of America will be looking up on Monday, Aug. 21, when a total solar eclipse will cover the sun from sea to shining sea. Safety glasses were a hot commodity last week with almost all retailers running out of the NASA eclipse-approved eyewear.

“We purchased our glasses a while ago and we’re planning on having a Great American Eclipse party at our office,” Dr. Cary Silverman, a leading ophthalmologist and medical director of EyeCare 20/20 in East Hanover, N.J., tells Newsmax Health. “We’ll have music and nibbles while enjoying the natural spectacle of a lifetime.”

On Silverman’s playlist will of course be Bonnie Tyler’s anthem, “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” and on his safety list are a number of points provided by the American Astronomical Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

“Watching the eclipse is a memorable experience,” says Silverman. “But you don’t want to take any chances on your eye health. Gazing at the eclipse without taking the proper precautions can result in burning a hole in the retina and causing permanent eye damage—even blindness called solar retinopathy.”

Silverman cautions parents of small children to make sure they wear the proper, accredited solar filter or eclipse glasses and are supervised the entire time.

“The only safe way to look at the sun, whether during an eclipse or not, is through these special purpose solar filters. These filters are used in eclipse glasses or in hand-held solar viewers. They must meet a very specific worldwide standard known as ISO 12312-2.”

Silverman reiterates that not even the darkest sunglasses offer enough protection against the sun’s powerful rays.

Here are other tips for enjoying the solar eclipse safely:

Inspect your glasses: Carefully examine your solar filter or eclipse glasses before using them. If you see any scratches or damages, discard them. Make sure that they have the ISO label along with manufacturer’s information. Glasses over 3 years old should not be used.

Follow instructions: Always read and follow the directions that come with solar filters and glasses. Help small children use the equipment properly. Before looking up at the sun, stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses and solar viewer to become acclimatized. After glancing at the sun, turn away and then remove your filter. Do not remove it while looking at the sun.

Don’t look with the naked eye: The only time you are safe looking at the sun without a viewer is during a total eclipse when the moon completely covers the sun’s bright face and it suddenly gets dark. As soon as the sun begins to appear even very slightly, immediately use your solar viewer again. NEVER look at the partially eclipsed sun or even the un-eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other similar devices even if you are using the solar viewer.

Seek out an expert: Talk with an expert astronomer on how you can find the proper eyewear to use these devises.

Don’t forget sun protection: If you are going to be outdoors viewing the eclipse, be sure to apply sunscreen every hour, says Silverman. “Your skin is also vulnerable to the sun’s powerful rays.”

Catch it on TV: Another safe way to see the eclipse is to watch TV coverage.

Try a pinhole viewer: You can view the eclipse indirectly, with your back to the sun, by making a pinhole projector or using the fingers of both hands to create a mesh-like pattern. By spreading the fingers of both hands on top of each other, the eclipse will project a pattern on the ground below. There are simple directions to make pinhole viewers using ordinary cereal boxes and other common household supplies. To find out how to make one, check out NASA’s Website.

“As long as you have your back to the sun, you should be fine,” notes Silverman. “An eclipse is a rare and striking phenomenon you won’t want to miss despite the warnings. But it is vital that you protect your eyes at all times. And no matter what technique you use, do not stare continuously at the sun. Take breaks and give your eyes a rest!”

• AAA has also issued a list of tips for drivers during the Great American Eclipse:
• Exit the roadway and park in a safe area away from traffic to view the eclipse.
• Do NOT stop along the highway or interstate or park on the shoulder of the road.
• Do NOT wear eclipse glasses when driving.
• Be mindful of pedestrians who may be walking around with their eyes on the sky.
• Prepare for extra congestion on the roads not only during the eclipse periods but before and after as many travelers are headed for areas in the totality zone, the 70 mile wide path that goes from Oregon to South Carolina.