The corneal reflex, or the blink reflex, makes people’s eyes blink when they’re staring at something too bright. Luckily, our eyes tend to pick up on that without our mind’s active input. Why is a solar eclipse so bad for your vision?
Here’s how to make sure you’re getting the right glasses and why it matters so much. If you’re preparing to see the next big solar event in your area, order your safety equipment early. This included faulty solar eclipse glasses, unverified solar viewers, and even welding helmets. That meant people eager to not miss out started dropping to less and less sufficient eye protection. Because of the event’s rarity, even wild estimates of inventory ran out at big box stores and eyeglass shops. During the lead-up to the 2017 solar eclipse across the United States, stores ran out of specially designed eclipse glasses. That means you have to buy your safety equipment ahead of time.
Traditional sunglasses and even most specialty darkened lenses don’t offer enough protection, either. Solar eclipses are dangerous to look at, especially if your eyes are completely unprotected. But if you have a front-row seat for a future eclipse, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll want to watch it. It’s even rarer for a total solar eclipse to be lined up perfectly with your part of the world.
Solar Eclipse Safety: What Shade Should Your Welding Mask Be?Ī total solar eclipse isn’t a once in a lifetime event, but it’s pretty uncommon.