Practice Eye Safety During the Solar Eclipse
Last updated August 17, 2020
Practice Eye Safety During the Solar Eclipse
The health and safety of children and staff is important during the upcoming solar eclipse event. Looking at the eclipse directly can cause severe and permanent eye damage. The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun.
As you may imagine, it might be hard to impress this risk on children, but eye protection is something to take very seriously. Even with glasses, children need very close supervision. Be sure children keep the glasses on for the whole eclipse if they are outside.
Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive for information about appropriate eclipse glasses or viewers to be used during this event. This website also has great information regarding the eclipse and educational materials that you can use with children. Spanish materials are also available on this site. You may wish to consider viewing the eclipse on live video stream at this website.
Please take the time to protect your eyes and the eyes of the children in your care and enjoy this exciting once-in-a-lifetime event.