ATLANTA (WTXL) - Georgia's attorney general is sharing tips to make sure your eyes are protected for the solar eclipse on August 21.
Attorney General Chris Carr says that you'll not want the once-in-a-lifetime occurrence to leave you with the wrong kind of lifelong memories.
“Safely viewing the solar eclipse without sustaining eye damage has, unfortunately, gotten more complicated since reports came out of counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold,” Carr said. “Counterfeit glasses may not offer sufficient protection from the sun and can lead to eye damage."
Carr's tips:
- Do not view the sun without special eyewear. According to NASA, it is only safe to look directly at the sun if you have approved solar eclipse glasses or a hand-held solar viewer. No matter how dark they are, regular sunglasses will NOT protect your eyes from sun damage.
- Get eclipse glasses from a reputable source. Check with your local library to see if they are giving out eclipse glasses. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) also provides a list of authorized vendors and manufacturers of eclipse glasses. To view list, click here.
- Test and inspect your glasses before the eclipse. Make sure your eclipse glasses are free of scratches, tears and pinholes. You should not be able to see anything except the sun itself while the glasses are on. If you can see normal light or brightness, the glasses will likely not protect your eyes from damage.
- Photographing the Eclipse: According to the AAS, you should not look at the sun through a camera, telescope or binoculars while using your eclipse glasses because the concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and cause serious injury to your eyes. Solar filters must be attached to the front of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens or other optics, and consumers are urged to seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with these devices.
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