Beware Fake Solar Eclipse Glasses, Toms River Fire Officials Warn

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River fire officials are sharing a warning from federal officials about counterfeit glasses and viewers that are being sold in advance of Monday's solar eclipse, warning residents to beware of the fakes because they could cause serious damage to your eyesight.

Kevin Esposito, the fire official for the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, said the U.S. Fire Administration says there are vendors trying to cash in on the excitement of the upcoming eclipse, and the fakes could cause damage including blindness.

“The only glasses and viewers you should use when viewing the eclipse are those verified by an accredited testing laboratory to meet ISO 12313-2 standards," Esposito said. "This standard requires lenses to be thousands of times darker than typical sunglasses.”

To tell the difference between genuine protective eyewear and fake glasses, Esposito recommends residents refer to the American Astronomical Society website for a list of reputable vendors selling solar glasses and viewers.

The American Astronomical Society has posted that list on its Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers page.

"We've checked manufacturers' ISO paperwork to make sure it's complete and that it comes from a recognized, accredited testing facility, and we've personally examined manufacturers' products. We've asked manufacturers to identify their authorized resellers, and we've asked dealers to identify the source of the products they're selling. Only when everything checks out do we add a vendor to our listing," the society said.

For suppliers not on the list, it doesn't mean their products are unsafe — only that they have no knowledge of them or are unsure of their safety.

How can you tell if your solar viewer is not safe? You shouldn't be able to see anything through a safe solar filter except the sun itself or something comparably bright, such as the sun reflected in a mirror, a sunglint off shiny metal, the hot filament of an unfrosted incandescent light bulb, a bright halogen light bulb, a bright-white LED bulb (including the flashlight on your smartphone), a bare compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb, or an arc-welding torch.

All such sources (except perhaps the welding torch) should appear quite dim through a solar viewer.
If you can see shaded lamps or other common household light fixtures (not bare bulbs) of more ordinary brightness through your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer, and you're not sure the product came from a reputable vendor, it’s no good, the society said.

If you glance at the sun through your solar filter and find it uncomfortably bright, out of focus, and/or surrounded by a bright haze, it’s no good. You should contact the seller and demand a refund or credit for return of the product, then obtain a replacement from one of the sources listed on the reputable-vendors page, the society said.

Remember that a genuinely safe solar viewer does more than reduce the Sun's visible light to a comfortable brightness level. It also blocks potentially harmful UV and IR radiation, they said.

“We want everyone to experience and enjoy the eclipse safely next week, but it’s important that they protect their eyes at all times with the proper solar glasses and viewers,” Esposito said.

Photo via FEMA