Never look directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse. Always follow official safety guidance and use approved eye protection to view the event safely.
Certified eclipse glasses, which will be distributed at astronomy society events across Scotland or available to buy online, can help protect your eyes from the Sun’s harmful rays.
According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, genuine eclipse glasses should display the ISO 12312-2 or ISO 12312-2:2015 safety certification.
Ordinary sunglasses, even those with dark lenses, do not provide enough protection for safe solar eclipse viewing.
“Even if looking at the Sun does not feel painful, it can still cause serious and lasting damage to the retina,” Heymans said.
“A solar eclipse can last around two hours as the Moon gradually moves across the Sun and then away again. It is not simply a quick glimpse, so continuing to look can be extremely dangerous.”
She also warned that people may be tempted to look at the Sun through clouds, but cloud cover does not make eclipse viewing safe and can still result in serious eye damage.
After the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after viewing the eclipse.
The college said approximately 40% of those affected had looked at the eclipse for less than one minute, highlighting the importance of using certified eclipse glasses at all times.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk