Massachusetts Vision Experts Issue Warning Ahead of Solar Eclipse

It's not every day that you see a total eclipse in the Northeast, but it is coming.

On April 8, 2024, parts of New England will see the total eclipse, while here on the SouthCoast we'll see a nearly total eclipse (it will fall just shy).

It's been years since the last partial eclipse was visible from the SouthCoast, and Eye Health Vision Centers in Dartmouth says it hopes not to see a repeat of what happened.

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"The last time we saw a solar eclipse a few years ago, we had a lot of emergency visits from patients that were worried because they had looked at the eclipse without proper protection for their eyes," Beth Metha said. "Looking at the sun during an eclipse is dangerous. You can literally burn a hole in your retina. It can cause a lot of vision problems, so we want to raise awareness especially because this will be close to a total eclipse."

Methia suggests picking up a pair of eclipse glasses. Glasses will be available at Eye Health Vision Centers, 51 State Road in Dartmouth, but also will be available at several places for just a few dollars.

Dr. Corey Westerfeld from Eye Health Vision Centers says those eclipse glasses not only reduce visible sunlight to safe and comfortable levels, but block harmful solar ultraviolet and infrared radiation, allowing people to view the eclipse safely.

"Regular sunglasses and even homemade filters are not sufficient to protect your eyes from the intense brightness of the sun," Westerfeld said. "Staring at the sun without proper eye protection can cause immediate and permanent damage."

The eclipse glasses have a similar look to the old 3D movie glasses.

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Filed Under: Eclipse, eye health vision centers, sunglasses

Categories: Health