On April 8, from approximately 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. the moon will block a portion of the sun causing a partial solar eclipse.
The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) is advising those who intend to watch the event to wear special eye protection.
The solar radiation emitted from the sun can cause ‘eclipse blindness’ or retinal burns. This type of eye injury can cause the tissues inside the eye to become heated to an extreme level all without feeling pain.
Those with this type of injury will experience blurred vision, and loss of eyesight and can take 12 to 48 hours to return.
Thomas Nabb, environmental health manager, explains “only viewing glasses with the ISO 12312-2 international standard markings are acceptable. Sunglasses, cameras, telescopes and binoculars are simply not safe.”
Public health officials and the Canadian Association of Optometrists recommend viewing the event online or making an eclipse box, which is essentially a pinhole projector.
Instructions on how to make an eclipse box can be found on the internet.
For more information, including info about suppliers of safe solar viewers and filters, visit NWHU’s Solar eclipse safety page or the Canadian Association of Optometrists page.
