Legit eclipse glasses hard to find in Middle Georgia

With only a week until the much anticipated total eclipse of the sun, getting the right pair of shades in time is no easy task in Middle Georgia.

The demand for the special dark sun shades, which prevent permanent eye damage, is enormous.

In fact, most retailers in Macon and Warner Robins have sold out, including Kirkland’s, Lowe’s, Kroger, Toys “R” Us and Walmart. Best Buy in Macon also sold out of the shades, but an employee said by phone that more are in transit and expected to arrive Wednesday morning.

The stores were among those reputable dealers listed on the American Astronomical Society’s website. Some retailers on the list, such as Love’s Travel Stops, are only selling the glasses in Kentucky and Tennessee stores.

What’s more, Amazon announced Sunday that it was issuing refunds to customers who bought eclipse glasses that “may not comply with industry standards,” according to CNN and other news sites. It was unclear how many listings for glasses were removed.

Certified lenses will be stamped with the manufacturer’s name and address and say they meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. However, counterfeits also will claim that.

Though lab equipment is needed to test the ISO filter, there are some tips for spotting phony eclipse shades.

You shouldn’t be able to see anything through a safe solar filter except the sun itself, or something comparably bright, according to the American Astronomical Society. The bright light will appear very dim through the glasses. If the sun is surrounded by a bright haze or if the sun appears uncomfortably bright, the glasses are no good.

People still searching for legitimate shades on Aug. 21, the day of the coast-to-coast eclipse, will have a last-minute opportunity to get them in Macon at no cost.

The Middle Georgia Regional Library System was among 6,900 library branches to receive some of the 2 million glasses distributed by NASA, Google, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Space Science Institute.

The glasses will be distributed for free at eclipse watch parties planned at Washington Memorial Library, Lanford Library on Houston Road, and Riverside Library, said Alex Hughes, marketing coordinator for the library system.

The watch parties are set to take place from noon-4 p.m., with the eclipse set to occur around 2:40 p.m.

There might also be an opportunity to get eclipse glasses at 5:30 p.m. Thursday when photographer Joey Embro visits Lanford Library to show folks how to safely take a picture of the celestial event.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Legit eclipse glasses hard to find in Middle Georgia."