OREGON, Ohio — The April 8 total solar eclipse is bringing plenty of excitement, but with the historic moment comes the need to remember to be safe.
"You want to have certified glasses for solar viewing," Bowling Green State University School of Media and Communications professor Jose Cardenas said.
Without those, serious damage can occur to your eyes even when looking through camera lenses pointed directly at the eclipse.
"It can leave a macular scar," Dr. Jush Patel, an optometrist at Midwest Eye Consultants in Oregon said. "It can even lead to solar retinopathy actually and that's when you stare at something for too long, specifically the sun or even the solar eclipse at this point."
With many spectators expected to use devices such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras and cellphones to capture the historic moment, this is why experts are urging that people be aware of what can happen if they do not follow safe protocols.
"Especially going through a camera, binoculars, or a telescope, the glass inside is going to magnify that intensity of that light," said Cardenas. "Therefore, even with the glasses on, looking through binoculars, a telescope or a viewfinder of a camera, you could cause permanent damage to your eyesight."
These warnings however are not meant to scare anyone from enjoying the opportunity to witness history.
Rather, it's a helpful reminder to be safe, educated and to buy smart.
"Nothing cheap," said Patel. "Something that says '100% polarized,' something that you can wear even when in your daily life activities too."
Patel also says that people buy glasses that are not just 100% polarized, but also ISO-certified, in order to have maximum protection and safety during the eclipse.
Click HERE to see where you can get solar eclipse viewing glasses.