For the first time since 1806, a total solar eclipse will cross Cleveland’s path the afternoon of Monday, April 8. Northeast Ohio is one of the best places to view the celestial event, and a large number of visitors from out of town are expected to descend on the area. 

Looking directly at the sun with unprotected eyes at any time can be dangerous, including during a solar eclipse. One of the most common safe ways to view the eclipse is through a safe solar viewer, which typically comes in the form of “eclipse glasses” or handheld rectangular lenses. 

Alexandra Williamson, an optometrist at the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, said the eclipse glasses are “sort of like a lot of pairs of sunglasses stacked on top of each other. It is a filtration device that cuts the amount of sunlight that comes through that actually reaches your eye by quite a bit – to the point where it’s a safer level.”

Eclipse viewers will not experience the same kind of filtration from a standard pair of sunglasses or homemade viewing devices, Williamson said. These methods could damage eyes.

Testing eclipse glasses

It is important to have the proper eye wear for Cleveland eclipse viewing. When looking for eclipse glasses, NASA recommends making sure the label states the glasses comply with the ISO 12312-2 standard. With the demand for eclipse glasses, counterfeit products that say “NASA approved” have reached the market, but they do not fit the ISO standard. 

It is also important to check for scratches or other damage to the safe solar viewers. An at-home method for testing the quality of the glasses is to try them on and look at a lamp, Williamson said.

“You should be seeing that if you’re using these at home, and you’re looking into a light source, that you can barely see it.” 

Although it is not the standardized way of testing effectiveness, this method can reduce the likelihood of using a solar viewer that is not up to the safety standard. 

Where in Cleveland are eclipse glasses available?

Some Cleveland eclipse viewing sites will have glasses available for visitors on April 8, but supplies will be limited.

The city of Cleveland will open 17 rec center locations on April 8 for free watch parties with games, activities, food, There will be a limited amount of eclipse glasses available. Click here for full details and list of rec centers.

The American Astronomical Society has a list of more suppliers of safe solar viewers.

Find additional news and information about the April 8 solar eclipse here.