Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has put consumers on alert to counterfeit solar eclipse glasses that could cause blindness.
As Georgians prepare to watch the moon block the sun totally over the northeast corner of the state Monday afternoon and 97 percent in the Atlanta area Carr offered some advice Thursday.
"Safely viewing the solar eclipse without sustaining eye damage has, unfortunately, gotten more complicated, since reports came out of counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold," Carr said in a news release. "Counterfeit glasses may not offer sufficient protection from the sun and can lead to eye damage; therefore, we want to make sure that consumers take proper precautions so they can enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence."
The attorney general advised:
Do not look without special eyewear. According to NASA, it is only safe to look directly at the sun if you have approved solar eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer. No matter how dark they are, regular sunglasses will NOT protect your eyes from sun damage.
Make sure eclipse glasses come from a reputable source. Some local libraries are giving out eclipse glasses. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) also provides a list of authorized vendors and manufacturers of eclipse glasses. To view list, visit https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters.
Test and inspect the glasses before the eclipse. Make sure your eclipse glasses are free of scratches, tears and pinholes. You should not be able to see anything except the sun itself while the glasses are on. If you can see normal light or brightness, the glasses will likely not protect your eyes from damage.
As for photographing the eclipse, Carr said don't even think about it without consulting an astronomy expert witness as that could be even more dangerous.
In South Carolina, where much of the state will experience a total eclipse, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina made this announcement: "In light of information received from state agencies regarding heavy traffic and travel delays due to the influx of people to South Carolina, for the eclipse, our Anderson, Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville divisions will be closed on Monday, August 21, 2017. Our Florence division will remain open."