April | 2024

NEWS

The Great North American Total Eclipse is Almost Here

According to NASA, nearly 32 million people live in the path of totality of the April 8 eclipse. Many more visitors from around the country and around the world have travel plans to see the eclipse. NASA provides an interactive map with details about the path of totality and exact times for when totality starts and ends.

If you're traveling, make sure you have planned extra time to get to your destination. Traffic on the day of the eclipse may be heavy if you are driving to a popular viewing location. Even if you can't travel to the path of totality, a partial eclipse will be visible across North America. Cloud cover may be a factor in much of the path of totality and across the United States. Be sure to check the weather forecast for your viewing destination. Live video of the event is a safe bet for watching the total eclipse if you don't plan to travel. NASA and Time and Date will be providing live streams to help everyone around the nation make the most of this unique celestial event.

Eclipse Resources

What is Solar Retinopathy?

sunlight entering the eye and focusing on the retina

sunlight entering the eye through the lens and focusing on the retina

According to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), solar retinopathy "occurs when intense light energy injures or damages the retina (the inner lining of the back part of the eye)." A cause of solar retinopathy is watching a solar eclipse without proper protection. A new article from Ophthalmology Times discusses diagnosis and treatment of solar retinopathy. The safest way to view a solar eclipse is using ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector.

The American Astronomical Society issued a recent warning to be aware of fake eclipse glasses with tips for making sure you have quality approved solar eclipse glasses for watching the April 8 eclipse.

children watching the eclipse, wearing ISO-certified Prevent Blindness solar eclipse glasses

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WebEyeCare is an approved solar eclipse vendor of the American Astronomical Society

Still Need ISO-Certified Eclipse Glasses?

Expect to pay expedited shipping charges to get your glasses in time

Prevent Blindness solar eclipse viewing glasses meet the safety requirements of ISO 12312-2 filters for direct observation of the sun.

Prevent Blindness is a 501(c)3 non-profit. When you purchase Prevent Blindness eclipse viewing glasses from our retail partner, a portion of the price goes to support our sight-saving programs and services.

Eclipse Resources at Prevent Blindness

Astrophotographer Jon Carmichael offers tips for recording/photographing the eclipse with a smartphone.

The April 8, 2024 Great North American Total Solar Eclipse

Getting Ready for the Upcoming Eclipse

Solar Eclipse Eye Safety

Tips for Using Eclipse Glasses

How to Photograph or Record a Solar Eclipse Safely

Eclipse Lesson and Book

Planning or Hosting a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party

Solar Eclipse Playlist on YouTube

The Prevent Blindness

Eclipse + Your Eyes Program

is Made Possible by the Generous Support of:

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Prevent Blindness also thanks the Delta Gamma Foundation for its generous support for the development of the solar eclipse educational materials. This work is also supported by a Jay M. Pasachoff Solar Eclipse Mini-Grant from the American Astronomical Society’s Solar Eclipse Task Force, which is in turn supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2318745.

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