Partial solar eclipse: our advice for watching it without risk

This phenomenon is quite rare since the last partial solar eclipse took place in August 2018. And for a total eclipse, we have to go back to 2008. But beyond its exceptional nature, it is important to remember that to observe an eclipse in complete safety, certain advice should be followed.

Protect your eyes!

Looking directly at the sun can have serious consequences. If the corneal lesions caused by the sun are reversible in a few days, the damage to the retina is irreversible and can lead to permanent visual impairment. Children are more exposed to these lesions, so you should be extremely vigilant.

To protect themselves, observers must wear special protective glasses that are completely opaque to normal light. These must be stamped with the CE mark, a guarantee of compliance with European provisions. It is also possible to use welding goggles (glass n°14), a product that can be reused and whose characteristics are stable over time.

Sunglasses are not made to protect the eyes from looking directly at the sun. Other means of protection, such as tinted glasses, radiological films or sunglasses must be strictly avoided. We also forget optical instruments such as binoculars or cameras.

Finally, it is advisable to limit observations of the sun to a few minutes and to take a break between two observations in order to rest your eyes. Appropriate glasses can be purchased from opticians, pharmacists or specialty stores.