Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 28 November 2002

Solar eclipse glasses - A glaring danger.

Product Safety officers of the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection are urgently investigating reports that a retailer is selling glasses allegedly suitable for viewing Wednesday's solar eclipse, at two metropolitan shopping centres.

Reports have also been received that these glasses have been sold in country towns throughout Western Australia.

They are similar in appearance to the cardboard and foil type glasses used to view 3D movies at cinemas and have images of kangaroos and an Australian flag on the arms.

The Department of Conservation and Land Management advise that it is always unsafe to use optical instruments such as telescopes, binoculars, camera viewfinders, spectacles and sunglasses etc to view the sun. The only safe way is to project an image of the sun and view that image.

"Severe eye damage and blindness can occur if a solar eclipse is directly viewed using anything other than specialised safety equipment.

Traders who engage in misleading or deceptive conduct by claiming glasses or viewers worn on the face protect eyes from a solar eclipse when they don't, can expect fines of up to $100,000 under the Fair Trading Act", Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker said.

Mr. Walker proposes to make an immediate Prohibition Order banning the sale of these items under the Consumer Affairs Act.

"Although the sellers of these glasses claim that European research has proven them safe, I urgently warn consumers not to purchase them or use them to view the solar eclipse.

Parents should take special care to make sure that children are aware of the danger and that very young children are not left unsupervised during the eclipse, which starts at approximately 4.10pm and concludes at approximately 6.10pm", Mr. Walker said.

The eclipse can be safely watched on-line via a direct link from the Lions Eye Institute's website www.lei.org.au to an observatory in South Australia, where you can actually see the eclipse as it happens.

Consumer protection can be contacted on telephone 1300 30 40 54.

Further information concerning eye care precautions is available from the Lions Eye Institute on telephone 9381 0777.