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Warnings for those viewing Monday’s partial eclipse

Aug 17, 2017 | 5:00 PM

While many will be looking to the skies on Monday to catch a glimpse of the first partial eclipse visible in North America since 2014, a local optometrist said there are risks involved.

Dr. Jamie Lawrence of River Valley Eye Care in North Battleford warns while seeing such an event can be exciting, looking directly at the phenomenon could cause serious damage to your eyesight.

“The danger with staring at the sun is the tremendous amount of radiation it omits,” Lawrence said. “That bodes the same for a partial or total eclipse as well.”

Lawrence explained on a regular sunny day, you would only be able to look directly at the sun for just a few seconds because of the intensity of the sun’s rays. If you stared for even a few minutes, you would get enough radiation exposure to the retina to cause long-term damage.

“In the case of an eclipse when the moon partially covers the sun you tend to look longer because it’s not as bright,” Lawrence added. “However, there is still an intense amount of radiation coming from the eclipse that puts you at risk.”

 

He also warns regular sunglasses will not protect your eyes from harmful radiation during an eclipse and recommends purchasing special eclipse glasses to properly enjoy the spectacle.

“Regular sunglasses still allow about 10 to 20 per cent of sunlight,” Lawrence said. “Eclipse glasses allow about one-third of a percentage of sunlight.”

According to Lawrence, special eclipse glasses should be purchased from reputable retailers if possible. He also warns if you buy the eclipse glasses online you run the risk of purchasing an inferior product that may not meet recognized standards.

“There are also several do-it-yourself videos on YouTube that offer easy and inexpensive alternatives to the glasses,” Lawrence added. “The bottom line is you can enjoy the eclipse but be careful.”

The partial eclipse will begin Monday Aug. 21 at 10:26 a.m. and end at 12:57 p.m. The maximum or closest the moon will be to the center of the sun Monday will be at 11:41 a.m.

 

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW