A total solar eclipse is hitting the skies on Monday, giving parts of the country the full view of “totality.” States with a view include parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as smaller parts of Michigan and Tennessee.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon momentarily blocks the sun’s face, resulting in a very cool yet very eerie darkness. It’s the same type of eclipse that happened in 2017; last year’s was only an annular eclipse.
Whether it’s a total solar eclipse or an annular eclipse, it’s important you know the safety rules and find the right eye protection if you plan on looking at an eclipse. Aside from the very short moment of darkness that is the total solar eclipse, the sun will be partially eclipsed this next week, making special eclipse glasses crucial if you plan to be outside or viewing the sky in any way.
Dr. Ronald Benner, president of the American Optometric Association, told us in October that unsafe viewing of a solar eclipse can cause solar retinopathy, which is a type of retinal damage he compared to sunburn on the “satellite dish of the eye.” Failing to wear proper eye protection will let in a dangerous amount of ultraviolet radiation and damage the macular tissue in the retina.
“Once it’s burned and scarred, it’s a bad thing,” Benner said.
Are you still in need of a pair of glasses? No problem — here’s how to find a free pair near you. If local resources are out of freebies, or if you need to buy in bulk for a viewing party, keep reading for tips on ordering legitimate glasses that will ship to your order by the big day.
Read more: Last Solar Eclipse for 20 Years Is Coming: Here’s How to Watch It
NASA’s map shows the lucky strip of the US that will be within the viewing area of the total solar eclipse this April 8.
How to buy eclipse glasses last minute
Unfortunately, sunglasses aren’t going to cut it. Proper solar viewers or eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than sunglasses, according to NASA.
Both the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology say to look for glasses that have been given the OK by the American Astronomical Society. The AAS includes glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard. Importantly, counterfeit glasses or those that don’t meet safety standards can also claim this or use it as a logo — so stick to the AAS’ specially compiled list of Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters and don’t rely only on looking for that number alone.
But we’re cutting down to the wire, and so how quickly you can get your glasses shipped matters. With that in mind, here are a couple of manufacturers identified by the AAS with shipping options that ensure you can still get your glasses by Monday.
The AAS specifically says not to shop around for glasses on sites like Amazon because fake or illegitimate glasses have been sold on the site. That being said, we’re including Amazon here because Soluna itself links directly to Amazon for purchase of its glasses. Soluna was identified as a safe manufacturer by the AAS. To see how fast they ship, look at the Amazon link provided by Soluna for the individual delivery options — you should be able to get them in time for Monday.
In addition to five-packs for $20, Soluna also sells two-packs for $17, 10-packs for $30 and 50-packs for $90.
There’s still time to buy glasses at Helioclipse, an AAS-listed company, and get them in time for the eclipse.
Prices start at $15 for a six-pack and go up to $55 for a 50-pack.
Eclipse glasses from eclipseglasses.com are manufactured by American Paper Optics, which are on the AAS’ list of safe manufacturers. So this means you can be ultimately sure that these glasses
Eclipseglasses.com may be one of the last online retailers you can find eclipse glasses this close to the big day because they offer overnight shipping. While fast-tracking shipping will run you a pretty penny on top of the $39 for a 10-pack of glasses (they ship from Tennessee), it’ll be worth it if you’ve already made plans around the solar eclipse or if you need to buy glasses in bulk for a group while ensuring they come on time.
If 10 isn’t enough, you can also buy a 25-pack of eclipse glasses from the company for $50.
Note: If you do decide to go the Amazon route and shop around for glasses, the AAS recommends making sure the seller is identified on Amazon and is both identified and listed on the AAS’ page of safe suppliers (and it may be more important to give them a test run before the big event, but more on that below).
The AAS also says that if you have glasses from a vendor not listed, it doesn’t mean that they’re unsafe by default, they’re simply not vetted.
Some brick-and-mortar stores sell glasses in-store that meet safety standards, the AAS says. (It can’t guarantee that the glasses sold online by these stores are also legitimate, because they may use a different seller for online products.) So if you’re running out of time to get glasses, it’s worth swinging by one of these stores this weekend to see what they have in stock:
- Walmart
- Lowe’s
- Cracker Barrel
- Wegmans
- Bucc-ee’s
- Meijer
- H-E-B
- Menards
- Staples
- Kroger
- 7-Eleven
Make sure to check your eclipse glasses
Even if you’ve done all the right things by referencing the AAS website to find the right glasses or viewers, it’s a good idea to give them a test run before the main event.
You can do this by putting your glasses on and wearing them around other sources of light, like street lights or car lights. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, you shouldn’t be able to see any light in your eclipse glasses, besides the sun or sunlight reflected in a mirror. If light comes through, Benner said, “they’re not good.”
For more, follow these tips to see whether your glasses are fake or the real deal.
Solar retinopathy: What happens to your eyes if you look at a solar eclipse
For folks who will be in the path of totality, there is a “brief and spectacular” period of time when it’s safe to look at the sky without glasses, according to NASA, but it’s crucial to keep them on during the other phases of the eclipse while the sun is still partly visible. According to the National Park Service, the total block lasts only for about 2 to 4 minutes, depending on where you are in the path of totality.
And for people viewing a partial eclipse outside the path of totality, there’s never a safe time to view the eclipse without risking eye damage, including solar retinopathy.
Put simply, solar retinopathy is damage to the retina, and you run that risk by exposing your eyes to the sun. Benner said the damage usually takes about six to 12 hours to show up. Common symptoms include blurry vision, blind spots, distorted color vision or otherwise warped vision.
If you notice these symptoms, you should see a doctor right away to pinpoint the source of your vision problems. But according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there is “no known beneficial treatment” for the condition, only prevention.
Many patients will regain normal vision acuity within a few months, though it may be random. Benner added that recovery may take up to six months or a year, and that sometimes people don’t fully recover and their vision acuity is affected from then on.
Is there anyone who might be more susceptible to solar retinopathy? No, Benner said.
“Every individual is a unique individual,” Benner said, but no one’s immune to damage when it comes to the delicate parts of the eye. In other words, don’t think you’ll be safe to steal a peak because you don’t sunburn often.
“When it comes to the retinal tissue, it’s so much different,” he explained.
There’s also no specific amount of time that you can look at the sun before you’re at risk of retinal damage. According to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, even a few seconds can cause permanent harm.
For parents of younger kids, Benner has an extra word of caution: Watch them closely with their glasses, or just keep them in the house to watch it on TV.
Us adults know better than to risk looking at the sun, but children may not.
