When the day sky dims to dusk in the middle of the day on April 8th, a celestial spectacle will have millions of eyes turned skyward for the total solar eclipse. Chicago's own Dr. Jennifer Lim, an ophthalmologist at the University of Illinois Hospital, is stressing the importance of wearing proper eye protection to avoid the sun's harmful rays. "That's not enough, unfortunately," she said, referring to individuals who believe sunglasses can protect them from eclipse glare, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
An unfortunate patient learned the hard way after the August 2017 eclipse, when they looked at the sun with only sunglasses for protection, they wore as protection, only sunglasses. Dr. Lim diagnosed them with solar retinopathy, which can lead to blurring, blind spots, and even permanent vision loss, according to her interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. Approved eclipse glasses carrying the ISO 12312-2 standard should be used by spectators outside of the narrow path of totality—an area not including Chicago, which will witness a partial eclipse covering about 94% of the sun.
Eye experts agree that there's no excuse for careless viewing. "Please, please put those glasses on," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson urged, according to the WGN-TV report. The American Astronomical Society has compiled a list of reputable vendors for those in the market for eclipse glasses. Wearing counterfeit glasses, which abound, poses just as much danger as no glasses at all.
For the absent-minded or the ill-prepared, indirect viewing methods like pinhole projectors or using a colander can provide a safe way to experience the eclipse, terribly magnifying sunlight which can damage phone camera components or eyes if tried to be viewed through them. Dr. Avnish Deobhakta of Mount Sinai's New York Eye and Ear Infirmary reported a patient with a crescent-shaped black spot in her vision, directly mirroring the shape of the 2017 eclipse, after viewing the sun without proper protection, as conveyed by WGN-TV.
Chicago's Adler Planetarium will be distributing safe viewing glasses on the morning of eclipse day, while far downstate, Carbondale is preparing for the totality with several events, the Sun-Times disclosed. Remembering the cases of solar retinopathy from past eclipses, Dr. Manjot Gill from Northwestern Memorial Hospital warns that the condition can take weeks to months to clear up—if ever. She stressed in a statement to the Sun-Times the importance of proper eye safety, so spectators can marinate in the awe-inspiring moment without suffering the long-term consequences of an unprotected peek at the skies.
