Recommendations to see the next solar eclipse without risks

DALLAS (AP) — Millions of people across a narrow strip of North America will look to the sky as it darkens during the total solar eclipse on April 8. To be able to see it, security is paramount.

Looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse or at any other time can cause permanent eye damage. The eclipse can only be safely seen with the naked eye during the period of total darkness, when the Moon completely covers the Sun.

Those who wish to experience the eclipse should purchase special glasses from a reputable seller. Sunglasses do not provide enough protection, and binoculars and telescopes without adequate solar filter amplify sunlight, making them unsafe.

“Please, please, put those glasses on,” said NASA director Bill Nelson.

Fake glasses are plentiful, so they should be purchased from a local science museum or from an approved seller on the American Astronomical Society website.

Glasses must indicate that they comply with ISO 12312-2 standards, although sellers of fake products print this indication on their products. NASA does not approve or certify eclipse glasses.

Eclipse safety experts say that legitimate eclipse glasses should block ultraviolet light from the sun and almost all visible light. When used indoors, only very bright lights should be slightly visible, not furniture or decorative paper.

Old glasses from the 2017 total solar eclipse or October annular eclipse can be reused, as long as they are not deformed or have scratches or holes.

How to see the eclipse without glasses

If you do not have eclipse glasses, it is possible to enjoy the spectacle, although indirectly, such as with a hole projector, made with homemade materials.

Punch a hole in a piece of cardboard or poster board, hold it during the eclipse, and look down to see the projected crescent below. A strainer or cracker with holes can achieve the same effect.

Another trick: Looking at the ground under a leafy tree produces crescent shadows as the sun filters through the branches and leaves.

Ophthalmologists warn against viewing the eclipse through a phone camera either. In addition, the bright rays of the Sun can also damage the digital components of the device.

Why it is dangerous to watch a solar eclipse

Eyes can be damaged without proper protection. The Sun’s bright rays burn the retinal cells at the back of the eye. The retina has no pain receptors, so there is no way to feel the damage when it occurs. Once cells die, they do not recover.

Symptoms of visual damage from sunlight, called retinopathy, are blurred vision and color distortion.

In a rare case of eclipse eye damage, a woman who viewed the 2017 eclipse without proper protection went to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at Mount Sinai, complaining of a black spot in her vision. Doctors discovered damage to the retina that matched the shape of the eclipse.

“The dark spot he described was shaped like a crescent,” explained Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at Mount Sinai.

There is no hard and fast rule for how long a peek can cause permanent damage. The severity varies depending on cloud cover, air pollution and the person’s observation point.

But doctors say that watching a solar eclipse without protection for even a few seconds is not worth the risk. There are reports of solar retinopathy after every solar eclipse, and American ophthalmologists recorded many more visits after the 2017 eclipse.

Viewers who plan ahead can ensure a stress-free eclipse viewing experience.

“It can be dangerous if we’re not careful, but it’s also very safe if we take basic precautions,” said Dr. Geoffrey Emerson, a board member of the American Society of Retina Specialists.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.