With the impending Solar Eclipse coming up on Monday 8.21 there is a high demand for the special glasses you need to watch the eclipse without harming your ocular senses. But there’s been several recalls on glasses that have been sold because they do not meet the safety requirements. Here’s a list of where you can purchase glasses to view the eclipse from our news partner WZTV Fox 17 (CODE RED) and where to take glasses that have been recalled.
Be Just and Fear Not
sQueeGee
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES:
- Adventure Science Center: Sold out of thousands this week, but spokespeople tell Fox 17 News they’ve secured another shipment with 10,000 more glasses for this weekend.
- Hendersonville Walmart: Sold out earlier this week, but said another shipment is expected
- Amazon: There are still some available on Amazon, but prices have skyrocketed from a few dollars to nearly $100 for a pack of five.Customers should also think about shipping and if the glasses will come in on time. Also important to note Amazon recalled some glasses from a third party vendor which were deemed unsafe. Please see below for what to look for in safe glasses.
- Nashville Zoo: Giving away 8,000 on Aug. 21 on a first-come first-served basis
- Nashville Convention Visitor’s Bureau: Received a shipment of 1,000 glasses. Putting half on sale before eclipse day and the other half on sale on eclipse day outside Bridgestone Arena.
- Kroger: Some locations still have glasses. Tip: Call ahead to make sure or check out their website
- Metro Schools students: Eclipse viewing glasses have arrived and will be going home with students this week
ECLIPSE GLASSES EXCHANGE:
Some locations have recalled their Total Solar Eclipse glasses for safety reasons. They are currently offering exchanges.
Dept. of Heath: Health officials will set up an exchange location in the lobby of the Lentz Health Center, 2500 Charlotte Ave. from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, August 17. People can exchange the glasses to those who received the Health Department’s glasses as long as the supplies last.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center:
- Brentwood, 134 Pewitt Drive, Suite 200
- Cool Springs, 1834 McEwen Drive
- Franklin, 919 Murfreesboro Road (Hwy. 96)
- Belle Meade, 4534 Harding Pike
- Spring Hill, 1003 Reserve Blvd., Suite 110
MAKE SURE YOUR VIEWING GLASSES ARE SAFE!
- U.S. Manufacturer Name (Recommend any of these: American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical, or TSE 17)
- “ISO” Icon (Must have ISO reference 12312-2)
- Don’t reuse old glasses. Unsafe after 3 years
- If lenses have scratches, don’t use
- If lenses are wrinkled, not safe for viewing the eclipse
- U.S. manufacturers recommended
- Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun.