Quote:
Originally Posted by Suzy
So scary. I remember the AAS putting out the warning of those unsafe solar viewing glasses which were sold online. I think there was a thread on it here.
A lesson here is to never borrow eclipse glasses unless you trust the source.
Poor woman, she was trying to do the right thing regarding safety  . |
I have some doubts about the story. The information confuses me.
She reportedly only has solar retinopathy in her left eye nothing in her right eye. Were she using unsafe eclipse glasses and staring at the eclipse she should have had burns equal in both eyes.
When looking naked eye at the sun, even for 20s as reported, most people would move their eyes yet the scar is precisely crescent shaped.
One possible explanation is that she looked through an optical device with one eye but didn't tell doctors. But if you scale the scar (see attached picture), it has a diameter of 295 microns corresponding to a focal length of 33mm, in the vicinity of the focal length of the human eye.
Perhaps she used a pinhole over one eye? We'll never know.
There were multiple issues with supply of eclipse glasses not related to this case study.
Some glasses that were patently unsuitable for solar viewing were sold.
Some glasses didn't meet the new ISO 12312-2 standard for solar glasses but were not necessarily unsafe.
Just because a filter does not meet this standard, does not mean it is unsafe.
The Baader astrosolar film I've been safely using for almost 20 years does not meet the new standard but nor has it sent me blind.
The new standard ISO 12312-2 specifies a material that is safe for continuous viewing with the naked eye. My film is suitable for use with an optical device. Old Baader film lets a bit too much UV through. Fine providing you are looking through a telescope or binoculars with their UV absorbing glass lenses.
I have always preferred black polymer for extended non-critical visual observations. eg Monitoring progress of a solar eclipse. I find the Baader uncomfortably bright through a scope. If looking for fine detail, I use a moon eyepiece filter with the Baader film, or I did until I lost my filter in the USA this year. Still in a field in Idaho me thinks!
Black polymer is the only way to go for eclipse shades IMO, anything reflective and you see reflections of your eyes interfering with the view of the sun.
Joe