You will know, from experience, that any attempt to stare even partially at the sun, is extremely difficult for your eyes to be up to cope with the amount of sunlight as it becomes overpowering, instantly. Stepping forward to August 2017, when you will be able to observe a total eclipse as the moon covers the sun, you should be aware of your requirements for eclipse safety for you and your family and especially, your children.
Eyes Can Be Damaged, Permanently
The total eclipse, which should be observed through professional eclipse glasses, will last for between one and three minutes, depending upon where you are in the US, having chosen one of the best locations to observe this incredible moment in your life.
Eclipse safety will be uppermost in your mind because you can cause permanent damage to your eyes and those of your children, by staring directly at the sun. Your children may need extra guidance. Viewing the sun directly through a camera, binoculars or telescope, can cause additional damage to your eyes because the sun’s UV rays will be concentrated on to your eye. Special filters for your gadgets can alleviate this problem, but they will be expensive to purchase.
Do Not Burn Your Eyes
Even staring at the sun for a few seconds may cause the sun’s rays to burn your retina. Your eyes are extremely delicate and once the retina is burnt, you may not be able to restore your eyesight to its previous condition.
The sun will be in your full sight before it is covered by the moon and in those next few minutes, it will be safe to look directly at the sun because it is covered by the moon, during the total eclipse. Nevertheless, eclipse safety is paramount and the use of eclipse glasses, vital, because there will be a moment when the sun may surprise you, as it begins to be seen again, from behind the moon. Even those few seconds can be dangerous to your eyesight.
You do have the alternative option of using welder’s goggles, rated 14 or higher. These will allow you to watch the total eclipse in complete safety, but it may be more cost-effective to purchase eclipse glasses than welder’s goggles.
