By William H. Kose, MD, JD
Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System
On Monday, April 8, Northwest Ohio will get a front-row seat to a total solar eclipse. The moon will gradually begin to block the sun in the early afternoon, and the eclipse will reach totality (meaning the moon will entirely block the sun) at approximately 3:10 p.m.
Only a small region of the United States will experience the total solar eclipse, so Northwest Ohio anticipates visitors from outside the area for this once-in-a-lifetime event. At Blanchard Valley Health System, we encourage our community to plan ahead with health and safety in mind.
Eye safety is vital. Looking directly at the sun without proper protection can cause permanent damage to your vision, even if there does not appear to be much light.
Only look at the eclipse using eclipse glasses that indicate that they comply with ISO 12312-2 requirements. Regular sunglasses do not offer adequate protection. Eclipse glasses are designed for viewing the eclipse without a telescope, camera, or binoculars and should not be used with any of these devices.
