Follow these tips to watch the solar eclipse safely

• Follow these solar eclipse safety tips.
• It’s extremely dangerous to look directly at it.
• Get ready for a unique experience!

Millions of people across a narrow strip of North America will look up to the sky as it darkens during the total solar eclipse on April 8.

However, it’s vital that you follow these solar eclipse safety tips to protect your eyes.

Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse — or at any other time — can cause permanent damage to your eyes.

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Solar eclipse safety tips

An eclipse can only be safely observed with the naked eye during the total darkness period when the moon completely covers the sun, according to The Associated Press.

Those wishing to see it must acquire special glasses from an accredited seller.

Sunglasses do not offer sufficient protection, and binoculars and telescopes without a proper solar filter amplify sunlight, making them unsafe.

“Please, please, put on those glasses,” says NASA Director Bill Nelson.

Where to find eclipse glasses

Fake glasses are widespread, so you should only by from a local science museum or from a seller approved on the American Astronomical Society’s website.

The glasses should indicate they comply with ISO 12312-2 standards, though sellers of counterfeits print this information on their products.

NASA does not approve or certify eclipse glasses, according to The Associated Press.

Legitimate eclipse glasses should block out the sun’s ultraviolet light and nearly all visible light.

When used indoors, only very bright lights should be faintly visible — not furniture or wallpaper.

Old glasses from the 2017 total solar eclipse or the October annular eclipse can be reused, as long as they are not warped or have scratches or holes.

How to watch the eclipse without glasses

If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can still enjoy the spectacle, albeit indirectly, with a pinhole projector made from household materials.

Make a hole in a piece of cardboard or cardstock, hold it up during the eclipse, and look down to see the crescent shape projected below.

A colander or a cracker with holes can achieve the same effect.

Another trick is to look at the ground under a leafy tree. You will see crescent shadows as the sun filters through the branches and leaves.

Ophthalmologists warn not to view the eclipse through a phone’s camera either.

Moreover, the sun’s bright rays can also damage the digital components of the device.

Why solar eclipse safety tips are so important

Eyes can be damaged by an eclipse without proper protection. The sun’s rays can burn the cells of the retina at the back of the eye.

The retina has no pain receptors, so there’s no way to feel the damage as it happens. Once cells die, they do not regenerate.

Symptoms of visual damage from the sun’s rays — known as retinopathy — include blurry vision and color distortion.

In a rare case of eclipse-induced eye damage, a woman who watched the 2017 eclipse without proper protection went to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, complaining of a black spot in her vision.

A woman developed an eclipse-shaped spot in her vision

Doctors discovered damage to the retina that matched the shape of the eclipse.

«The dark spot she described was crescent-shaped,» explained Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at Mount Sinai.

There’s no hard rule on how long of a glance can cause permanent damage.

Severity varies depending on cloud cover, atmospheric pollution and the observer’s location.

Ophthalmologists get more business after an eclipse

Doctors say looking at a solar eclipse without protection even for a few seconds is not worth the risk.

Reports of solar retinopathy follow every solar eclipse, and American ophthalmologists noted many more visits after the 2017 eclipse.

Viewers who plan ahead can ensure a stress-free eclipse viewing experience.

«It can be dangerous if we’re not careful, but it’s also very safe if we take basic precautions,» said Dr. Geoffrey Emerson, a board member of the American Society of Retina Specialists.