MILWAUKEE -- Get your eclipse glasses ready. A total solar eclipse is set to happen Monday.
If you have faulty viewing glasses and you look at a partial eclipse, you could damage your eyes or go blind.
Doctor Ray Wallace with American Family Care in Waukesha joined us live on Daybreak Saturday to share how to properly look at the eclipse.
He explained if you look directly at the sun during a partial eclipse without eye protection, you should know the entire time, you are burning your eyes. You can experience a variety of stages of blindness, including:
- Photokeratitis: Cornea cells blister causing sandpaper sensation on eyes. Temporary blindness should heal within a few days.
- Solar Retinopathy: A burn to the retina can have more lasting effects.
Unfortunately, once your eyes are burned there is no quick fix. Dr. Wallace identified these four steps for solar eclipse protection.
1. Only use special purpose filters, like certified eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers. Never remove while looking at the sun. You can buy the ISO certified glasses either online or at big box stores.
2. Avoid eclipse glasses that are more than three years old
3. Avoid eclipse glasses that are scratched or damaged
4. You should only see the sun when you look through the eclipse glasses, not street lights, not headlights, only the sun.
Peak eclipse viewing time in Milwaukee is 1:18 p.m Monday, August 19.
