August 21, 2017
Pennsylvania's top law official is cautioning residents not to get burned by eyewear unsuitable for viewing Monday afternoon's solar eclipse.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Friday consumers should be on the lookout for glasses that claim to give proper protection for looking at the eclipse but don't actually have the proper certification.
“Do some checking to make sure the glasses you buy will thoroughly protect your eyes and allow you to safely view the Solar Eclipse," Shapiro said in a press release.
Pennsylvania is not in the area of the country that will get a total solar eclipse, or when the moon completely covers the sun.
Instead, residents will only see a partial eclipse, with about 80 percent of the sun being covered.
Viewing the eclipse requires eye protection made specifically for looking at the sun; regular sunglasses won't be enough.
In fact, solar glasses are around a thousand times darker than normal sunglasses.
Shapiro said scammers have been capitalizing on the consumer demand for solar glasses, with fake eyewear flooding the market.
For those who already bought glasses, they should check to see if they have the safety certification number ISO 12312-2.
Shapiro added if someone thinks they were sold fake glasses, they should call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or email scam@attorneygeneral.gov.
