WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – At this point, you’ve probably picked up a set of eclipse glasses but how can you tell if they’re safe and authentic?
Waterown-based ophthalmologist Dr. Debra Koloms is warning folks to watch out for knockoffs.
“I’ve heard of a couple places selling 3D glasses as eclipse glasses. Not gonna work,” she said.
It’s a warning that has also been issued by New York’s Attorney General since inadequate eyewear can spell disaster
“The problem with this is that once the damage is done it’s not fixable so the treatment for this is prevention and education,” said Koloms.
There are ways to make sure your glasses are safe though. For starters, check for proper ISO certification on the glasses’ arm. Another test is trying to shine light through them.
“Just hold them up to the light. Make sure you don’t see any light through holes or anything in it. Also, it helps if you know you got them for a reputable place,” said Koloms.
A common question we’ve seen asked is if it’s safe to wear welding masks during the eclipse. Dr. Koloms says you’ll be safe as long as the glass is shade 14 or greater.
“Anything less dense than that, and that’s a fairly dense welding glass, anything less than that is not okay,” she said.
Koloms says a common misconception she’s seen is when you should wear glasses. Once the eclipse has reached totality, it’s safe to take off your glasses.
“If you keep your glasses on during totality, you’ll miss totality. You won’t see a thing. The totality is no brighter than the full moon.
Totality is expected to last for around 3 minutes. After that, The glasses go back on.
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