Get prepped before the next solar eclipse - October 14, 2023 & April 8, 2024.
The Last Eclipse
Do you remember the total solar eclipse that crossed the U.S. on August 21st, 2017? If you lived in, or traveled near the eclipse path you got to see either a full or partial solar eclipse that day.
If you missed that last sighting, the great news is that you could potentially have two more opportunities to see the beautiful phenomenon with your own eyes. With this beautiful sighting comes potential vision damage, so it's our job to focus on educating patients and our communities on safe eclipse viewing.
A crowd uses handheld solar viewers and solar eclipse glasses to safely view a solar eclipse. Credits: National Park Service
Safety First
During an annular solar eclipse, the sun isn't blocked by the moon completely making it dangerous to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. Even more, viewing it through a binoculars, telescopes, and cameras without a special filter can cause instant eye injury.
We recommend you prepare your practice for the events, especially if your community falls in the path of the eclipse.
Solar Eclipse Marketing for Eye Doctors
The frenzy and excitement around a rare lifetime sighting is a fun way to get your community involved! Your practice can make an impact by leading the charge when it comes to eye safety this eclipse.
Safe Viewing:
Beware of Fakes | Advise your patients to not search for eclipse glasses on the internet as they may not been properly tested and previously shown to be safe.
Safe Products | Purchase solar eclipse filters and glasses from reputable manufacturers as vetted by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and conform to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.
Make an Impact | To ensure your patients are remaining safe, you may feel inclined to give out safety glasses to your community, sell safety glasses in your practice, or host an event to teach safe eclipse viewing.
Do it for Me | We've already done the research! Ask us to order your practice-approved safety glasses for you through our approved vendors & negotiated vendor partners.
Education:
Get Social | Take to your social media channels to educate your patients on the importance of safe viewing, safety glasses what to do should there be an eye emergency event.
Get Staff Involved | Your staff is on the front lines of the patient experience! Train your staff with scripting and use doctor-to-optician handoffs as conversation starters.
Signage | Create educational collateral and signage to educate your patients while they are in your office on the upcoming event, safe viewing tips and indirect viewing methods.
Plan an Event | If your practice is in the path of the eclipse, it's not a bad time to take advantage of this rare event and utilize it as a community celebration event.
Although October feels far away, planning ahead is always a good idea! To make planning feel less daunting, we've consolidated the upcoming eclipse schedules & paths across the U.S. for you. If you need someone to market or educate the event on your behalf, we'll do it for you!
October 14, 2023 | Annular Solar Eclipse
Saturday, Oct. 14th, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico and many countries in South and Central America.
In the U.S., the annular solar eclipse begins in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. PDT and ends in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CDT.
Location | Partial Eclipse Begins | Annularity Begins | Maximum | Annularity Ends | Partial Eclipse Ends |
Eugene, Oregon | 8:06 AM PDT | 9:16 AM PDT | 9:18 AM PDT | 9:20 AM PDT | 10:39 AM PDT |
Alturas, Calfornia | 8:05 AM PDT | 9:19 AM PDT | 9:20 AM PDT | 9:21 AM PDT | 10:43 AM PDT |
Battle Mountain, Nevada | 8:06 AM PDT | 9:21 AM PDT | 9:23 AM PDT | 9:25 AM PDT | 10:48 AM PDT |
Richfield, Utah | 9:09 AM MDT | 10:26 AM MDT | 10:28 AM MDT | 10:31 AM MDT | 11:56 AM MDT |
Albuquerque, New Mexico | 9:13 AM MDT | 10:34 AM MDT | 10:35 AM MDT | 10:39 AM MDT | 12:09 PM MDT |
San Antonio, Texas | 10:23 AM CDT | 11:52 AM CDT | 11:54 AM CDT | 11:56 AM CDT | 1:33 PM CDT |
April 8, 2024 | Total Solar Eclipse
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The total solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean, then entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
This table provides the time that totality begins in each US state. These areas will also experience a partial eclipse before and after these times.
Location | Partial Begins | Totality Begins | Maximum | Totality Ends | Partial Ends |
Dallas, Texas | 12:23 PM CDT | 1:40 PM CDT | 1:42 PM CDT | 1:44 PM CDT | 3:02 PM CDT |
Idabel, Oklahoma | 12:28 PM CDT | 1:45 PM CDT | 1:47 PM CDT | 1:49 PM CDT | 3:02 PM CDT |
Little Rock, Arkansas | 12:33 PM CDT | 1:51 PM CDT | 1:52 PM CDT | 1:54 PM CDT | 3:11 PM CDT |
Poplar Bluff, Missouri | 12:39 PM CDT | 1:56 PM CDT | 1:56 PM CDT | 2:00 PM CDT | 3:15 PM CDT |
Paducah, Kentucky | 12:42 PM CDT | 2:00 PM CDT | 2:01 PM CDT | 2:02 PM CDT | 3:18 PM CDT |
Evansville, Indiana | 12:45 PM CDT | 2:02 PM CDT | 2:04 PM CDT | 2:05 PM CDT | 3:20 PM CDT |
Cleveland, Ohio | 1:59 PM EDT | 3:13 PM EDT | 3:15 PM EDT | 3:17 PM EDT | 4:29 PM EDT |
Erie, Pennslyvania | 2:02 PM EDT | 3:16 PM EDT | 3:18 PM EDT | 3:20 PM EDT | 4:30 PM EDT |
Buffalo, New York | 2:04 PM EDT | 3:18 PM EDT | 3:20 PM EDT | 3:22 PM EDT | 4:32 PM EDT |
Burlington, Vermont | 2:14 PM EDT | 3:26 PM EDT | 3:27 PM EDT | 3:29 PM EDT | 4:37 PM EDT |
Lancaster, New Hampshire | 2:16 PM EDT | 3:27 PM EDT | 3:29 PM EDT | 3:30 PM EDT | 4:38 PM EDT |
Caribou, Maine | 2:22 PM EDT | 3:32 PM EDT | 3:33 PM EDT | 3:34 PM EDT | 4:40 PM EDT |
For additional information on the upcoming eclipses - visit NASA.
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