Don’t Get Burned

We have all been warned. We have seen massive recalls from retail giants such as Amazon. Yet counterfeit solar eclipse glasses continue to flood the market and they are being sold right here in Fannin County.

Feeling the crunch and desperately looking for that one last pair of protective eyewear, this reporter was relieved to find a local shop still selling solar eclipse glasses and at $5.00 what a steal! Some places at this time are selling for as much as $20.00 a pair.

Imagine the disappointment to find out I had unknowingly purchased one of the counterfeits that consumers have long been warned about. Since these fakes are being sold locally, FetchYourNews would like to share a few tips on how to spot them.

NASA has warned that all solar eclipse glasses should be marked with the proper ISO icon and number. After purchasing, make sure your glasses have the NASA approved reference number, 12312-2.
Looking for a number and ISO icon is not a guarantee as evidenced in the photo of the counterfeit glasses which I purchased. The next step is to check the manufacturer. NASA has also provided a list of approved companies who provide solar safe spectacles.

Check the manufacturer to see if they in fact make eclipse glasses at all, and if so, do your glasses match the images on the manufacturer’s website. This was the first red flag for me. After searching for the company listed on the inside panel of the glasses, I found the business listed didn’t even produce solar eclipse glasses.

So now you have an ISO icon, a NASA reference number, and a legitimate manufacturer, you are almost in the clear. One final safety tip NASA has given is the indoor light test.

Put your glasses on indoors and look at an illuminated light. If you can see the light, there is a good possibility that your glasses are unsafe. Proper solar eyewear should be so dark that the only light you can see while wearing them is that of the sun.

Since counterfeit glasses are being sold locally, FetchYourNews would like our readers to be aware and use caution before enjoying Monday’s once in a lifetime event.