The Eclipse ECLIPSE DANGER OF BLINDNESS Many people run the risk of serious damage to their eyesight during the eclipse on the 11th of August. They will be tempted to look directly at the sun - and this could lead to blindness. "Even when the sun is mainly covered by the moon and appears much darker," says local optician Andrew Millington, "there is still a danger of permanent damage to one's eyesight. Probably most at risk are children because they will be excited by the event, will not appreciate the danger involoved, and will try to look directly at the sun." There is only one totally safe way to view the eclipse and that is to do it indirectly. This means facing away from the sun and using a pinhole viewer to project the eclipse's image on to a piece of card. Optometrist Andrew Millington is also concerned about people using sunglasses, film negatives and smoked glass to see the eclipse. "These methods are not safe, although people may easily think so. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the College of Opyometrists and the RNIB all recommend that solar filters and spectacles should not be used", he says. He adds that under no cicumstance should the eclipse be viewed through binoculars, telescopes and cameras as these can also transmit the sun's harmful rays to the back of the eye. For further information on the visual risk of the eclipse, including the use of a pinhole viewer, contact Armstrong & Millington Opticians, 36 Newerne Street, Lydney. Tel: 01594 844956 ECLIPSE ARTICLE Almost everyone is aware that the country will experiance a solar eclipse on 11th August. A very rare event, this will catch the imagination of millions of people, especially as it is so near to the millenium. Yet many people run the risk of serious damage to their sight from the eclipse. They will be tempted to look directly at the sun as the moon pases over. This could lead to blindness if too much of the suns's harmful rays reach the back of their eyes. Probably most at risk are children because they will be excited by the eclipse, will not understand the danger involved, and will try to look directly at the sun. It doesn't make any differance if the sun is mainly covered by the moon so that it's light appears dim. There is still a real danger of permanent damage to everyone's eyes. You might think that sunglases, film negative or smoked glass are safe, but they are not. In fact the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the college of Optometrists and the Royal National Institute for the Blind all recommend that solar filters or spectacles should not be used. These could still allow too much of the sun's dangerous rays to reach your eyes. Under no circumstance should you look at the eclipse through binoculars, a telescope or a camera. These could magnify the sun and be very dangerous to your sight. Fortunatley there is a simple and safe way to view the eclipse. This is to do it indirectly, using a pinhole viewer. Simply take two pieces of white card and make a pin-sized hole in one of them. Then with your back to the sun, hold up this card in front of you about 18 inches above the other card. The sun will shine through the hole in the first card and project a clear image on to the card below. Of course you should not look directly through the pinhole. Remember your eyesight is priceless, so don't take any risks with the eclipse. If you would like more information, the RNIB has a Helpline on 0345 669999. Back to the top