Pictured at First Insight Eyecare in the Imperial office are Dr. Eric Gengenbach, left, and eye technician Jamie Picquet wearing solar eclipse glasses being given away at their offices. (Johnson Publications photo)
First Insight Eyecare offering eclipse glasses
First Insight Eyecare clinics in Imperial, Grant, Ogallala and North Platte are providing instruction sheets and free solar eclipse glasses while supplies last.
Dr. Eric Gengenbach said they are going very quickly. He also requested donations at all four offices, and noted that the donations will be distributed at each town’s chosen organization.
Funds donated in Imperial will be earmarked for the skatepark project. In Grant, donations are going to the Perkins County Aquatic Committee for a new swimming pool. Ogallala and North Platte will be giving donations to the Women’s Resource Center and the food pantry, respectively.
A solar eclipse is when the earth, moon and the sun line up with the moon in the middle casting a shadow on the earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth is between the sun and moon casting a shadow on the moon.
A total solar eclipse will occur Aug 21. Gengenbach said that it is very important that the eclipse be viewed the entire time using the special glasses.
“Regular sunglasses won’t cut it,” he said.
If you look directly at the sun or a solar eclipse without the proper type glasses, the UV rays can cause damage to the retina resulting in solar maculopathy. If eyes are exposed long enough the damage will become permanent, he said.
The special glasses for viewing the solar eclipse must pass transmission requirements with a filter rating of ISO 12312-2. Without this rating, eyes will not have protection from the sun, Gengenbach said.
Chase County and the surrounding counties will experience only a partial solar eclipse because they are not in the direct path, Gengenbach said.
With a partial solar eclipse it becomes even more important to wear the special glasses at all times. That’s because there will not be any safe time to view the eclipse without protection as there is for a few moments during an eclipse totality.
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