Concerns have been raised over the suitability of homemade eclipse glasses being sold at a Liverpool Post Office. Booker Avenue Post Office "couldn't sell enough" of the glasses, which are two pairs of cardboard and plastic 3D glasses, stuck together.
The ECHO was contacted Wednesday morning (August 12) by a concerned parent who had bought the glasses for his five-year-old daughter ahead of tonight's partial solar eclipse. But local opticians told the ECHO they would not advise people to use them.
Glasses made by local inventor
The glasses were made by Jim Sharp, 83, from Allerton, who produces books of 3D images. The glasses are similar to the 3D glasses that come with his books, though the items on sale at the Post Office bear stickers stating they are "solar eclipse safety glasses". Mr Sharp confirmed they are the same glasses, doubled-up and reversed to block out light.
Graphic designer and inventor Mr Sharp said the sun will be low enough in the sky to make the glasses effective. The glasses were sold for £2.
Opticians warn of damage
A local optician, who spoke off the record, told the ECHO: "If someone looks at an eclipse through these glasses, they are going to cause themselves damage.
"They need an ISO marking. When you put them on indoors, you shouldn't be able to see anything except lightbulbs very faintly, and I can see through these quite clearly.
"These glasses are going to damage people's eyes if they are used."
An ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) marking certifies eclipse glasses as being capable of blocking harmful ultraviolet, infrared, and intense visible light that can damage eyes.
Customers still enquiring
Gavin Blacksmith, 37, bought the glasses for his daughter, 5. He told the ECHO: "They're red and blue. I didn't notice at the time, I was just grateful that I'd got hold of a pair. I went to an opticians and they told me they wouldn't chance it."
Customers were still enquiring after the glasses when the ECHO visited Booker Avenue Post Office this afternoon. The glasses had sold out.
Owner Karen Smith told the ECHO: "We know they're not the ISO ones. One of our customers has made them for us for years.
"During the last eclipse we sold maybe 20 pairs. This time we couldn't sell enough of them. It's been ridiculous."
Mr Sharp, inventor of Schafline printing technology, told the ECHO he made the glasses as he didn't want children to be looking at the eclipse unprotected. He added that he believed the glasses would provide adequate protection with the eclipse occurring in the evening.
Mr Sharp previously provided licensed solar eclipse glasses to the shop. Mr Sharp added: "If people are worried, don't use them."
The ECHO spoke to several local opticians who refuted Mr Sharp's claim. One said: "Most opticians would advise not to look straight at the sun at any time, with or without safety glasses."
An optician at Johnny Goggles on North John Street said that only glasses that are ISO regulated for solar eclipse purposes are recommended. They said: "They look like glasses from the cinema. They should be a lot darker, so dark that you can barely look through them.
"If you can see through it well they're not serving their purpose."
The ISO certificate number for solar eclipse use is EN ISO 12312-2:2015(E) & CE.
