TYLER, Texas — The countdown for the total solar eclipse is on, and with Tyler right in the path, it’s important to make sure you’re able to view it safely.
"You need to wear protective eyewear," said Christus Trinity Mother Frances optometrist Dr. Damon Smith. "Anytime you are viewing the sun before the complete eclipse, you need to be wearing an approved pair of sunglasses like this."
Not all sunglasses are approved for viewing the eclipse. So on April 8, viewers should trade out their regular sunglasses for a pair of special solar eclipse viewing shades.
"ISO-12312 is the safety standard that you should look for on your paper solar viewers. If you don’t have access to these because these can get kind of hard to come by, you can use number 14 welder's shields or welder’s lenses," Smith said.
If someone tries to view the eclipse without approved glasses, they could end up with a serious eye injury.
"You can end up with solar retinopathy, which is a burn to the retina and it can cause macular burns, potential permanent vision loss, blind spots," Smith said.
And if someone does decide to gaze up without glasses, it doesn’t take long to cause damage to the eyes.
"If you focus in on the sun for more than a few seconds, I think the risk is very real," Smith said.
But as long as people keep safety a priority, having the eclipse in East Texas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that people should get out and enjoy.
"I wouldn’t be too afraid of viewing this, get the kids outside and make it a day, make it an event. It’s exciting," Smith said.