Dr. Sruthi Arepalli at Emory Eye Center doesn’t want to rain on your eclipse parade, but she does warn that you should avoid looking at the sun at any time during the eclipse unless you wear eclipse glasses.
“I fully recommend using (eclipse) glasses during the entire time, even during totality,” said Arepalli, an assistant professor who specializes in diseases and problems with the retina. Arepalli admits that is being very cautious, but she thinks wearing glasses is warranted during the entire eclipse viewing.
“That period is a very short time,” Arepalli said in referring to totality, or those few minutes when the moon totally blocks the sun. But it will be hard for people to know when to put their glasses back on. Or, they may be tempted to take off their eclipse glasses too soon. It’s easy to end up looking too much, she said.
“The best way is to be safe rather than sorry,” Arepalli told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It is never safe to look directly at the sun, she added.
Free radicals -- the same ones you hear about that hurt other parts of the body -- damage cells in the retina, impeding their ability to transmit images to the brain. As a result, a person can experience permanent black spots in their vision and, in some cases, total blindness.
While Atlanta will not be in the path of totality, Arepalli said she still worries because of the large numbers of people traveling to other cities, such as Dallas, Evansville, Indiana, and Cleveland, to experience totality.
She has the same recommendation for those traveling or staying at home: Get eclipse glasses, and keep them on the entire time.
“What I worry about is people making trips to see the totality,” she said. “I recommend using glasses the entire time, even during totality.”
The American Astronomical Society has a list of safe vendors.
1. Use only glasses that meet the ISO12312-2 international standard. Do not use them if they are scratched.
2. Do not use sunglasses.
3. Put your special glasses on before you look up. To put your glasses on, turn your back to the sun, put on your glasses and then turn around. Do not take your glasses off while you are looking at the sun. Turn around first, and then take your glasses off.
4. Supervise children at all times and make sure their eclipse glasses are on the entire time.
5. Do not use binoculars, telescopes or other lenses without wearing eclipse safety glasses.
6. Be mindful of those with mental impairments. Make sure they have eclipse glasses or make sure they stay inside.
7. Be aware that some drugs, such as tetracyclines and some recreational drugs, can increase photosensitivity.
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