THE south west is set to be plunged into darkness between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday evening (August 12) during the first UK solar eclipse for more than two decades.

However, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued guidance for people hoping to watch the drama unfold in our skies – and avoid damaging their eyesight, potentially permanently.

“It’s a rare and exciting event that many people will be keen to watch,” a UKHSA spokesperson said. “But looking directly at the Sun without the right protection can cause permanent damage to your eyesight.”

“People watching in the South West are likely to see the greatest proportion of the Sun covered by the Moon,” they went on.

“According to Royal Museums Greenwich, this will be the most coverage seen from the UK and Ireland since the 1999 solar eclipse – which was total from most of Cornwall and Devon – making it a genuinely special occasion.”

But they warned people to take precautions “even if it’s cloudy”, as “cloud cover does not make it safe to look at the Sun”.

They said the sun being dimmed during an eclipse was “precisely the problem”.

“The reduced brightness can override the body’s natural reflex to look away, allowing intense sunlight to reach and damage the retina,” the spokesperson went on.

“This damage happens without causing any pain, so you may not realise harm is occurring until it’s too late.”

After the total solar eclipse in August 1999, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems due to looking at the Sun, with around 40% looking at it for less than a minute.

“Ordinary sunglasses – no matter how dark – do not provide adequate protection for viewing a solar eclipse,” the UKHSA added.

“They reduce glare, making it feel more comfortable to look at the Sun for longer, while still allowing harmful solar radiation to reach the retina.

“Never use regular sunglasses to look at the Sun during an eclipse.

“There are two safe approaches: specialist eclipse viewers, or indirect viewing methods.

“If you want to use eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, make sure they are genuine eclipse glasses with specially designed filters that meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E).

“Genuine eclipse glasses are available from reputable retailers, including Royal Museums Greenwich. Be cautious of products sold online that may not meet this requirement.

“If you’re unsure whether a product is certified, don’t use it. Don’t use eclipse glasses if the lenses are scratched, torn or damaged.

“Alternatively, you can watch the eclipse indirectly without any specialist equipment at all.

“Safe options include: a pinhole viewer, which you can easily make at home viewing the Sun’s image projected through a colander or the gaps between tree leaves; projecting the Sun’s image onto a sheet of paper using a simple pinhole projector.”