Looking at a solar eclipse with regular sunglasses is not safe. Sunglasses do not block enough of the Sun’s harmful light, so you can still damage your retina and potentially end up with blurred vision, blind spots, or permanent vision loss.

Quick Scoop

The risk is that an eclipse makes the Sun feel less intense, so people stare longer than they should. But the visible part of the Sun can still be bright enough to injure your eyes even through dark sunglasses.

What can happen

  • Eye strain is not the main danger. The bigger issue is retinal damage from sunlight exposure.
  • Symptoms may be delayed. You might not notice damage right away; problems can show up hours later.
  • Damage can be permanent. Some people recover, but others have lasting vision loss.

What to use instead

  • ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or certified solar viewers.
  • A pinhole projector if you want a safe indirect view.
  • Never use sunglasses, even very dark ones, for direct viewing.

Bottom line

If you want to look at a solar eclipse, use proper eclipse glasses or watch it indirectly. Sunglasses are better than nothing for everyday sunlight, but they are not eclipse protection.

TL;DR: Sunglasses won’t protect your eyes during a solar eclipse, and looking directly at the Sun can cause serious, sometimes permanent, eye damage.