By Lyndy Berryhill

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — If you want to see the rare solar eclipse on Monday, experts say make sure you have eye protection.

The once-in-a-lifetime event could cause permanent damage to the only pair of eyes you have if precaution is not taken.

“The only time you can look at the sun is when it is in totality (full eclipse), and that’s not going to happen in Natchez,” Natchez ophthalmologist Dr. Aaron Smith said.

Smith said the biggest risk of looking at the eclipse for any amount of time is that it immediately exposes the eye to photo toxic rays.

“It pretty much burns a hole in your retina which cannot be  fixed,” Smith said.

The closest place to view the eclipse in totality will be in Nashville, more than 400 miles away. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon aligns in front of the sun, casting a shadow over the earth.

Monday’s spectacle will be the first time since 1918 a total solar eclipse will cross America from coast-to-coast, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Smith said several different brands of eclipse-safe glasses exist, but many have sold out and some remaining are as costly as $300.

Smith said only glasses marked with ISO 12312-2 safety standard had been approved and others with different labels are not safe.

Smith said people are more tempted to look at the sun during an eclipse because the bright rays that sting the eyes are blocked.

“With an eclipse, it’s a lot more bearable to look at the sun,” Smith said.

The same rays that can start a fire through a magnifying glass lens can instantly cause irreversible damage.

“It’s all permanent,” Smith said. “There’s nothing to be done.”

Smith said if anyone begins to notice moderate vision loss or vision impairments in the hours following the eclipse, they should go to an eye doctor.

For the safest way to view it, Smith said look at the shadows on the ground.

A pinhole projector created by punching a small hole in a piece of paper or aluminum foil will cast an image of the sun and the moon’s shadow.

Directions for simple projectors using cereal boxes and other household objects can be found on the Internet.

The eclipse may also be viewed through highly specific camera lenses, and special telescopes and NASA has resources on viewing the eclipse without looking risking vision damage online.