State health department urges public to check eclipse glasses after recalls

Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune
·1 min read

The Illinois Department of Health has urged eclipse viewers to check their glasses after a brand was recalled for failing to meet safety standards.

The recalled glasses were listed on Amazon as “Biniki Solar Eclipse Glasses AAS Approved 2024 – CE & ISO Certified Safe Shades for Direct Sun Viewing (6 Packs),” according to the IDH. They were sold at several stores in Southern Illinois, including:

  • Farm Fresh Market, Breese

  • Highland Tru Buy, Highland

  • Perry County Marketplace, Pinckneyville

  • Sinclair Foods, Jerseyville

  • Steelville Marketplace, Steelville

  • Big John Grocery, Metropolis

Thousands have flocked to Southern Illinois to view the total solar eclipse Monday, an event so rare that it can only be seen, on average, every 375 years at a given location on the planet. In Chicago, the moon will cover up to 94% of the sun at precisely 2:07 p.m.

Without specialized eye protection, solar viewing can cause severe eye injury, according to NASA. Certified eclipse glasses use a special-purpose solar filter, which is the only way to safety watch the astronomical event.

The recalled glasses are labeled as “EN ISO 12312-1:2022,” the IDH said. Safe glasses should be printed with the ISO designation of 12312-2.