A total solar eclipse, which will be visible for much of Ohio on April 8th at 3 p.m. In a total solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and the earth and completely blocks the sun from our view. The path of the eclipse will impact the following counties in the central Ohio region: Hardin, Wyandot, Crawford, Logan, Marion, Morrow, Union, Delaware, Franklin, Knox, Licking and Madison.

Only 21 total solar eclipses have crossed the lower 48 states in the entire existence of the Unites States. The last total solar eclipse visible in Ohio was in 1806. The next total solar eclipse in Ohio will be in the year 2444.

The central Ohio hospital systems are partnering with Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health to educate central Ohio residents on the importance of viewing the eclipse safely. The partnering organizations are working to spread the following safety messages:

Viewing the eclipse safely
It is safe to look directly at the Sun only through special-purpose solar filters that comply with international standards. The American Astronomical Society has developed a list of manufacturers and distributors of solar viewers that you can be confident are safe when used properly. The list can be found at https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters

If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on and put your eclipse glasses on over them.

You should never look directly at the sun without appropriate eye protection.  Do not use sunglasses, Polaroid filters, certain welding glass, exposed color film, X-ray film or photographic neutral-density filters to view a solar eclipse.

The only time that you can look at the sun without solar eclipse glasses is during the “totality phase” of a total solar eclipse. The “totality phase” of the eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun’s bright face, and it suddenly gets dark. In general, this phase lasts only a few minutes. Right when you see the sun start to reappear, immediately replace the solar eclipse glasses.

Viewing the eclipse with children
With proper preparation, solar eclipses can be viewed safely by both children and adults.

Ensure that children are always supervised during the event, and remind them the importance of keeping their solar eclipse glasses on.

Possible eye damage
Staring directly at the sun can cause damage both to the front and back parts of your eye. Ultraviolet light directed onto the clear front surface of the eye (known as the cornea) and into the inside surface of the back of the eye (known as the retina) can cause damage.

The sun’s harmful ultraviolet light rays can quickly burn sensitive eye tissues. Mild light exposure can lead to a sunburn on the cornea, called solar keratitis. A burn to the inside surface of the retina can cause more severe visual damage, called solar retinopathy.

Exposure to intense light energy can cause damage to your vision, usually as a mild-to-moderate area of blurry vision (also called a “blind spot” or scotoma) in your central vision.  While some people fully recover their vision slowly over months, others will have permanent vision loss.

The partnering organizations have developed a number of materials which the community is encouraged to use without permission or cost to help educate central Ohio residents on the importance of viewing the eclipse safely.

Materials include:

A printed card 

Social media graphics for Facebook, Google, Instagram and LinkedIn
Google Images: Use Solar Filters, Safe for Kids and Adults, Avoid Eye Damage
Instagram Images: Use Solar Filters, Safe for Kids and Adults, Avoid Eye Damage
Facebook Images: Use Solar Filters, Safe for Kids and Adults, Avoid Eye Damage
LinkedIn Images: Use Solar Filters, Safe for Kids and Adults, Avoid Eye Damage

An Op/Ed which appeared in the March 13th Columbus Dispatch