July 17, 2023 — Prevent Blindness has launched the Prevent Blindness Eclipse + Your Eyes program ahead of the upcoming solar eclipses that will be visible in the U.S. on Oct. 14 and April 8, 2024. The contiguous U.S. will not see another total solar eclipse until 2045.
According to Prevent Blindness president and CEO Jeff Todd, 215 million adults watched the last viewable eclipse in 2017, but only 72% used eclipse glasses due to short supply. With this program, Prevent Blindness advocates that 100% of viewers wear eye protection.
The program is designed to educate the public on safe eclipse viewing and assist eyecare professionals with discussing the dangers of directly viewing a solar eclipse with their patients. The dedicated webpage offers free educational resources including fact sheets (available in English and Spanish), a solar eclipse party planning toolkit, and a newsletter. Additionally, the organization released an educational video on safe eclipse viewing featuring former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, Ph.D.; retired NASA physicist Rafat Ansari, Ph.D.; and medical retinal specialist Amy Babiuch, M.D., from Cleveland Clinic.
The nonprofit is also offering solar eclipse glasses that meet the safety guidelines of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 12312-2)—available for purchase with proceeds going to support the organization’s sight-saving programs.
“Eclipse events are a reminder to us all of the incredible beauty and science behind our solar system. When the moon moves between the sun and the earth, it obstructs the sun’s light from reaching the earth, casting a shadow on its surface, and creating a solar eclipse,” Massimino said. “Seeing an eclipse is breathtaking and exhilarating, but it can be dangerous if you are not correctly protecting your eyes. Everyone should witness a solar eclipse, but, bottom line, you need to use protective eyewear.”
On Oct. 14, the moon will block the center of the sun, beginning in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. PT and ending in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CT. Its path will also cross over California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The next total solar eclipse in North America will occur across most of the U.S. on April 8, 2024.
Tickets are currently available for the Prevent Blindness Texas Solar Eclipse Viewing Party from 11 a.m. 2to 2 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Rooftop Cinema Club Uptown in Houston. Click here to learn more.
For more information: preventblindness.org.