With a major solar eclipse event on the horizon, millions of people in the United States will be eager to witness this rare phenomenon. However, there is a lot of misinformation floating around about eclipse eye protection, and this is nothing to be taken lightly. When it comes to protecting your vision, you should not settle for anything but the best eclipse viewers, and here are some common misconceptions to be aware of.
1. Invisible Rays from the Sun are Filtered by an Eclipse
You can check out a solar eclipse event without eclipse eye protection, and it may seem like there are no problems, at the time. This is because the harmful rays are invisible to the naked eye, but they could still be causing a great deal of damage to your eyes.
2. Normal Sunglasses Will Work Fine for Viewing Eclipses
When you wear standard sunglasses, they will filter out a lot of the UV light from the sun. This makes them very comfortable to wear in bright sunlight. However, you should never stare directly at the sun or a solar eclipse because your sunglasses will not filter out dangerous infra red rays which can cause serious damage to your vision. Sunglasses are not proper eclipse eye protection.
3. You Can Stare at a Solar Eclipse While it is Total
There is some degree of truth in this statement. For example, during the time a total eclipse is “total” it is safe to look at. However, this time period is very short and as soon as the moon has moved a slight amount, it’s no longer safe. The best way to avoid damaging the eyes is to use approved eclipse eye protection.
4. You Can Safely View a Solar Eclipse through a DVD or CD
This is never a good idea. These disks offer no kind of eclipse eye protection.
5. X-Ray or Photograph Film is a Good Solar Filter
Some people have tried using camera or x-ray film to view solar eclipses. This may seem like a good idea, but just like standard sunglasses, they do not filter out harmful rays.
6. Darkened Glass is Safe
Just because something filters out bright light, does not mean it is safe eclipse eye protection. This goes for any kind of shaded or smoked glass. Only welder type glass is considered safe.
7. Telescope Eyepiece Filters Offer Good Protection
Years ago, some telescopes came with special eyepieces for filtering the sun. They are not considered to be safe eclipse eye protection. In fact, these filters have been known to shatter from concentrated heat while viewing the sun. You should have a telescope filter which fits over the large end of the telescope for maximum protection.