When the solar eclipse darkens Danish skies on Friday morning, many will be looking skyward.
Ophthalmologist John Thygesen from Øjenlægernes Hus, the eye health centre, warns that care should be taken.
“It is extremely dangerous to look at the sun without eye protection. It can scar the retina,” Thygesen told Ekstra Bladet. “Looking at a solar eclipse is like having a laser shined directly into your eye.”
Ray-Bans won’t work
Mant retailers are already sold out of protective googles, and Thygesen warned against using regular sunglasses to watch the eclipse.
“Sunglasses do not work at all, because they do not have the required protection in the glass,” he said.
Thygesen said that old wives tales about watching through strips of film and blackened glass could also result in eye damage.
“It is less tiring for to look at the sun when it is covered up during an eclipse, so people tend to stare at the sun for longer than they normally would.”
READ MORE: Thousands heading to the Faroe Islands to view eclipse
Friday's eclipse will see about 80 percent of the sun covered in Denmark. The total solar eclipse can be viewed on the Faroe Islands.
