Posted: August 18, 2017
You might have heard by now – there’s a major celestial event occurring on Monday! A total eclipse will be visible in parts of the United States. In Sacramento, we are not in the total eclipse pathway, but we will still see about 80 percent of the sun covered by the moon around 10:15 a.m. on Monday, August 21.
Because we aren’t experiencing totality, it is extremely important to keep your viewing glasses on during the entire event, which runs from 9:02 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. To safely experience the eclipse, remember these tips:
- Wear solar-filtered glasses to protect your retinas.
- This does not mean sunglasses!
- You must wear specially designed eyewear, designated as ISO 12312-2, to properly filter the sun’s harmful rays.
- If you wear glasses already, simply place the eclipse viewing glasses over your prescription glasses.
- Do not view the eclipse through a camera, binoculars, cell phone, or other device without your eye protection.
- Wear your eclipse viewing glasses throughout the event.
- If you do not have eclipse viewing glasses, you can make a pinhole projector to view the eclipse safely, or you can always go the safest route and watch live TV coverage of the eclipse.
- It is not safe to look at the sun without eclipse viewing eyewear.
These precautions are necessary because staring into the sun can cause permanent damage to your sight. There’s a reason looking at the sun on a normal day is painful. The intense light can over-stimulate your retina and cause solar retinopathy, which may not be immediately noticeable, but can produce permanent symptoms such as blurry vision and blind spots.
All of our doctors and staff at Griffin & Reed Eye Care hope that you have a safe and fun eclipse viewing experience!
Call 916-485-2020 to schedule your next eye exam or LASIK consultation. We welcome patients throughout the Sacramento and Roseville area.
