PSA—Here's Why Solar Eclipse Glasses Are a Must (But Cameras and Binoculars Are Dangerous!) During an Eclipse

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America is gearing up for a Great North American Eclipse on April 8, 2024, starting at 11:07 a.m. PDT. It will be a total solar eclipse, meaning that the moon will completely block the sun, revealing its ghostly outer atmosphere called the corona. It's the last total solar eclipse we’ll see in the contiguous U.S. until 2044, with a path of totality stretching across cities and towns in 13 states from Texas to Maine.

Whether you are traveling to one of the scenic spots across the U.S. in the path a totality or settling in for a partial eclipse, which most in the U.S. will be able to observe, it's important to keep everyone, from your kids to your pets, safe.

Solar eclipses tend to make us override our instinct not to stare at the sun, and without proper protection, eclipse gazers are risking their vision. Here's what medical experts want you to know about solar eclipse glasses and eye safety during the big event, including the hidden danger that cameras, telescopes, and binoculars present.

What kind of glasses do you need for a solar eclipse?

To view a solar eclipse safely, you need solar eclipse glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard, and be sure to get them from a reputable supplier vetted by the American Astronomical Society (AAS). No ordinary shades, ISO-compliant solar eclipse glasses are about 100,000 times darker than typical sunglasses.

“When you put them on, you shouldn't even be able to see your hand in front of your face. They are not sunglasses or 3D glasses. Literally, the only thing you might see is a point light source, and you can barely see that if you look up at it,” says Danny Mathew, O.D., a VSP Network Doctor based in Fort Worth, Texas, which is in the path of totality this April.

Also check your solar eclipse glasses for damage. “Make sure there's no folds or cracks,” Dr. Mathew says.

Where can you find solar eclipse glasses?

The AAS created a list of Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters to ensure your viewers are up to standard, and the concern is real. In 2017, some phony suppliers falsely labelled products as ISO 12312-2, creating a flood of unsafe eclipse glasses on the market. Here's what you need to know make sure you are getting yours from a safe source.

If you are shopping online from e-tailers, such as Amazon or Walmart, you need to take an extra step of precaution: AAS advises that you identify the seller on the site, then check to make sure that seller is on the safe suppliers list. Country Living editors followed that procedure when selecting the products included in this article.

Solar Eclipse Glasses, 6 Pack

Solar Eclipse Glasses, 5 Pack

Solar Eclipse Glasses, 10 Pack

Solar Eclipse Viewers, 6 Pairs

If you want to buy them locally, some major retailers are selling ISO-compliant solar eclipse glasses in stores, according to the AAS. Those include H-E-B, Walmart, Lowes, Buc-ee’s, Wegmans, Menards, Kroger, Meijer, Cracker Barrel, and Staples. Take note: This only applies to brick-and-mortar stores (for online purchases, refer to the previous paragraph), and availability varies by location.

You might be able to score them for free. Check with your local library. The Space Science Institute and STAR Library Network teamed up to distribute ISO-compliant solar eclipse glasses to public libraries across the U.S. The retailer Warby Parker is also offering free ISO-compliant glasses, up to two per family, from April 1–8 while supplies last.* Sonic is giving out a pair with every purchase of its limited-release Blackout Slush Float, beginning March 25, while supplies last.**

Solar Eclipse Safety Takeaways:
DO purchase solar eclipse glasses with ISO 12312-2 filters.
DO make sure your solar eclipse glasses are not damaged.
DO check the fit of your kids’ solar eclipse glasses.
DO wear solar eclipse glasses with prescription eyewear.
DO NOT view the eclipse through cameras, telescopes, or binoculars.

What if your kids' solar eclipse glasses are too big?

If your children's solar eclipse glasses are too wide or slip fall off their face, BJC HealthCare in St. Louis, Missouri has a DIY fix using a paper plate. See instructions about 2-and-half minutes into this video, following the instructions for making a pinhole camera out of a cereal box. Also, keep an eye on little ones during the eclipse to make sure their eyes stay protected.

Get free solar eclipse activities for kids: For a limited time, Scholastic News is offering Free Solar Eclipse resources for kids, including a lineup of fun, interactive activities you can do together at home.

What happens if you don't wear eclipse glasses?

Solar rays can damage the retina, says Dr. Mathew, causing solar retinopathy or, as it's referred to colloquially, eclipse blindness. “It can burn the part of the retina where you get your central, detail, and color vision. In some cases, your vision doesn't come back—you don't go totally blind, but you lose your central, your detail, and your color vision, and anything you look at centrally would be distorted.”

Dr. Mathew saw patients experience solar retinopathy firsthand in October 2023 following the last U.S. solar eclipse, which was not total but rather an annular "ring of fire" eclipse. Fortunately, his patients recovered their vision after two to three weeks, but the risk of permanent damage is serious.

If you need further convincing, consider this: Looking at a solar eclipse without proper protection is equivalent to using a magnifying glass to burn leaves on a sunny day. Your retinas magnify light from the sun in a similar way, says Dr. Russell N. Van Gelder, editor-in-chief of the journal Ophthalmology, and professor and chair of the University of Washington School of Medicine's ophthalmology department.

Since our eyes don't feel pain like the rest of our bodies, you likely won't know you've done damage until it's too late. While Dr. Gelder says that some patients can recover from the damage, about half won't and will lose the central vision in their eye.

How long can you look at a solar eclipse without ISO-compliant glasses?

The only time it is safe is the brief timeframe during totality when the moon completely blocks the sun. Even then, it depends. During April’s total solar eclipse, totality will last over 4 minutes in some places and only 1–2 minutes in others. This is when we can admire the sun's ethereal corona. But you must time the safe viewing window precisely, and this is where Dr. Mathew gets concerned.

“It’s something that’s mesmerizing and that people haven’t seen before, so they just stare,” he says. “Technically, you could look at it. The problem is you have to time that just right. Most people can’t do it unless they have a certain app. It's just much safer just to view it through your solar eclipse glasses.”

Of particular concern are Baily's beads and the diamond ring effect, which occur just before totality—as well as just after when you might be too awestruck to be thinking about eye safety. “The issue is there's that point where the eclipse goes to a different phase. You get that diamond ring effect or those little bead effects, and those are unfiltered rays coming right into your eyes.”

Take note: If you are viewing this April's event anywhere in the contiguous U.S. outside the path of totality, it will only be a partial eclipse. Solar eclipse glasses for viewing are necessary at all times. View the gallery below to learn more about totality, the diamond ring effect, Baily's beads, and partial eclipses.

Totality = use caution

During totality, the moon completely blocks the sun, and we can see the sun's ethereal corona, weather permitting. It is safe to view with the naked eye, but it's critical to keep your solar eclipse glasses on until totality begins and put them back on before it ends. Danny Mathew, O.D., a VSP Network Doctor in Fort Worth, Texas, recommends keeping your solar eclipses glasses on throughout the event unless you have a special app or other way to time the safe viewing window precisely based on your location in the path of totality.

Diamond Ring Effect = solar eclipse glasses required

The diamond ring effect is the last bit of direct sunlight before totality, and the first direct sunlight to reappear after totality, and, yes, you still need your solar eclipse glasses on. This example was captured during the 2017 total solar eclipse above North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains 2017.

Baily's Beads = solar eclipse glasses required

These beads of direct sunlight occur also occur near totality, both before and after, as the sun shines through valleys on the moon’s surface. Keep those eyes protected.

Partial eclipse = solar eclipse glasses required

The moon does not completely block the sun during a partial solar eclipse. Wearing solar eclipse glasses when viewing it is essential. This example was captured over Washington, D.C., in 2021.

Why is it dangerous to view a solar eclipse through a camera, telescope, or binoculars?

The lenses of cameras, telescopes, and binoculars will magnify and intensify direct sun rays during the eclipse. “You can actually do more damage to your eyes,” Dr. Mathew says, noting that during the 1999 total eclipse in Europe, people viewing the event through binoculars, cameras, and telescopes accounted for the most cases of solar retinopathy. It can damage your devices, including your smartphone too. Simply wearing your solar eclipse glasses while using these items is not enough. Unless you have outfitted these items with the proper filters, which are not your standard gear, using them in your solar eclipse viewing experience is strictly a no-go.

Can you wear solar eclipse glasses with prescription eyewear?

Yes. Dr. Mathew recommends putting on your solar eclipse glasses first, then putting on your regular glasses on top. This helps keep the solar eclipse glasses from falling off or sliding out of place.

*The STAR Library Network and Warby Parker promotions are included in the AAS list of Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters.

**The SONIC eclipse viewing glasses are approved for direct observation of the Sun by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and have been lab tested to ensure they are safe and meet all applicable rules and regulations. Check the back of the glasses for additional, detailed safety information before use.

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