People in Kingston-upon-Thames and Surbiton are being urged to take safety measures during the solar eclipse.
This comes as new research from Specsavers reveals that 18% of people across the London region do not know that viewing it directly without suitable eyewear can damage their eyesight.
The partial solar eclipse on Wednesday will be the most impressive solar eclipse visible from the UK in almost 30 years and will coincide with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower later that night.
To help shine a light on the importance of viewing the eclipse safely, the Specsavers research reveals that 26% thought it was safe to view the eclipse through a camera or smartphone screen, while 26% also believed polarised sunglasses were a safe alternative.
Paul Bhalla, optometrist director at Specsavers Kingston-upon-Thames and Specsavers Surbiton, said: ‘The new research shows that many people are unaware of the risks of looking at a solar eclipse without proper eye protection, but this can damage the retina and, in some cases, lead to permanent vision loss.’
‘So we advise that people never look directly at the sun without certified solar eclipse glasses or an approved solar filter/viewer and always ensure they are not scratched or damaged first.
‘Ordinary sunglasses, no matter how dark, do not provide adequate protection, and people should not look at the sun through binoculars, telescopes or cameras unless they are fitted with the correct solar filter.
‘Anyone who doesn’t have certified eclipse glasses can watch safely by using simple projection methods, such as a pinhole projector made from paper, a colander, or even the gaps between tree leaves, which project an image of the eclipse onto another surface without needing to look directly at the sun.
‘Parents should ensure children are properly supervised while viewing the eclipse, and if anyone experiences blurred vision or distortion after viewing the eclipse, they should seek advice from an optometrist.’
Specsavers recommend that adults and children should have an eye test at least every two years, or more often if advised by their optician. The NHS will cover the full cost of an eye test for anyone who qualifies. All children under 16, as well as those under 19 in full-time education, are entitled to an NHS funded eye test.
To book an appointment or speak to a member of the team at Specsavers Kingston- upon-Thames, call 020 8974 6677 or visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/kingstonuponthames
To contact Specsavers Surbiton, call 020 8339 8900 or book online at https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/surbito
Issued by Tigerbond Group Ltd on behalf of Specsavers.
For more information or to speak to a Specsavers expert please contact:
Philippa Bassett
Tigerbond
Specsavers Client Manager
07704 536 170
philippa.bassett@tigerbond.com
