GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Great American Eclipse happens Monday, April 8, 2024. The eclipse makes a diagonal pathway across the nation from Texas to Maine. Here in North Carolina, we're not in the line of totality, but we are going to be treated to a great site.
Standard sunglasses are unable to filter out eye-damaging radiation. Eclipse glasses have a solar filter built into them, giving our eyes protection from the damaging rays of the sun.
"Rays are going to go right through the pupil, and they focus directly on the retina, which is the center of the vision that focuses right on the Macula. These are all the layers of the Macula, and if you're focused on the sun, then that's where the burn can happen," said Laura Cavadini, Ophthalmologist.
She says a sunburn to your eye retina will not feel like it does on your skin.
"It can be delayed. You may view the sun one day, and the next day wake up and realize there's a blind spot in your vision," said Cavadini.
The American Astronomical Society has a list of vendors they have approved for eclipse glasses. Their site says:
To help the public obtain properly documented, vetted viewers, the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force has compiled a list of vendors of safe solar viewers. For every seller on the list, we’ve confirmed three things: (1) the identity of the manufacturer, (2) that the manufacturer’s viewers have been tested for compliance with the ISO 12312-2 standard by a lab properly accredited to do so, and (3) that the viewers meet the standard’s transmittance requirements across the parts of the spectrum to which our eyes are at risk from overly bright light.
2 Wants To Know looked at several of the listings. You will buy in bulk of at least 10 pairs. They are between $2.75 and $4.00 a piece.
WFMY News 2 invites you to watch the eclipse with us at Triad Park. It's free to come to the park for the event! Buy your eclipse glasses ahead of time, and meet us there for some fun.
