Solar Eclipse Glasses Recall Suggests Certain Products May Not Be Safe

With a total solar eclipse visible within a band across the entire United States next week, millions of Americans have purchased safety glasses to protect their eyes while viewing the rare event. However, it appears that certain solar eclipse glasses sold by Amazon do not comply with industry standards, and may pose a risk of eye injury or vision impairment if used.

Amazon announced the solar eclipse glasses recalls in e-mails sent to customers on August 12, indicating that there were safety concerns involving several brands that may not provide adequate UV ray protection when viewing the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017.

The recall was issued after Amazon recognized the manufacturers of the solar eclipse glasses distributed on their site were not among those recommended by NASA or the American Astronomical Society (AAS), and could potentially harm customers when viewing the solar eclipse event. The recalls were announced out of an abundance of caution, according to a statement provided to customers that previously purchased the two brands of recall solar eclipse glasses.

The recalled solar eclipse glasses includes various brands, such as Agena Astro brands from Los Angeles, California and Lunt Solar System brands of Tucson, Arizona, among a few others, which may not have provided sufficient evidence that their products meet the requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics set forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Owner of Agena Astro Products released a statement on Amazons website claiming his glasses, which have been the best seller for the last month, are appropriately designed for safe viewing of the total solar eclipse, and that the products are currently being submitted to NASA for safety verification.

Solar eclipse glasses have been one of the most popular items on Amazon over the last month, as people prepare for the total solar eclipse that will occur on Monday, August 21, 2017.

A total solar eclipse is an event in which the moon passes directly in front of the sun, completely blocking the sun along the 70-mile-wide corridor stretching from Oregon all the way across the United States to South Carolina.

According to the AAS, individuals planning on viewing the event are encouraged to never look directly into the sun without proper, approved eye protection to avoid serious injuries such as eye irritation or blindness.

As a safety measure, the solar eclipse glasses not included on the AAS recommended manufacturers list should not be for viewing the total solar eclipse event. A list of the recommended manufacturers can be found on the AAS website at https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters.

Customers who are in possession of recalled solar eclipse glasses purchased through Amazon.com, will be awarded a refund within seven to ten business days and are being asked to not use the solar eclipse glasses for the event.