August 21, 2017 SOLAR ECLIPSE!

 

What is a total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon’s disk completely covers the surface of the Sun. The Moon’s shadow – the umbra – sweeps across the Earth, turning day into night over a narrow path, while a partial eclipse is visible across a wider area.

What’s so special about the 2017 eclipse?

Total solar eclipses are very rare! The last total solar eclipse over continental United States occurred in 1979 and was visible from only five states. A total eclipse that crosses over the entire continental United States is even more rare: the last one to cross the country (from Oregon to Florida) occurred on June 8, 1918. For many of us, this is a once-in-a lifetime chance to see a total solar eclipse.

What will I see during the total solar eclipse?

If you are in the path of totality on eclipse day, it will be like nothing you have ever seen before. The sky will become very dark … and you will see strange and wonderful eclipse effects, such as the Diamond Ring, a bright flash of light that happens right before totality. You’ll see a black dot (the Moon) over the Sun, and the Sun’s beautiful white corona stretching into space.

Is it safe to look at a solar eclipse?

It is NEVER safe to look at the Sun without proper eye protection – its powerful light can permanently damage your eyes. Sunglasses cannot protect your eyes when looking at the Sun! Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun while using your eclipse glasses or a handled solar viewer because the Sun’s concentrated rays will damage the filter and damage your eyes. The lenses of binoculars, telescopes and cameras must be covered with a special eclipse filter over the lens on the front, not the back. Seek an astronomer’s advice on how to do this!

During an eclipse of the Sun, protective eyewear must be worn in the partial phases. More than 500 million people in North America, Central and South America will see the partial phases during the 2017 eclipse. In other words, if you want to watch the eclipse take place, you MUST wear protective eyewear! For detailed, accurate information on protecting your eyes during the solar eclipse, please visit NASA’s web site.

Remember: Be wise, protect your eyes!

What about Totality?

Only in the brief totality phase is it safe to remove your protective eyewear. Learn exactly when totality starts and ends in your area, so that you can have someone call out those times on eclipse day. That way, you’ll know when it’s safe to remove your eyewear – and when you need to put your eclipse specs back on.

How do I protect my eyes?

For the partial eclipse phases (before and following totality), you will need protective eye wear such as special eclipse glasses or viewers …. OR … welder’s goggles with the lens glass rated 14 or higher. Click here to learn more about determining the safety rating of welder’s glass.
A safe way to view the eclipse phases is to make your own pinhole projector – they are easy to make and let you look at an image of the eclipse reflected onto a light colored surface. Every copy of The Big Eclipse book includes a safe solar viewer and has instructions on how to make a simple pinhole projector. The safest way to watch the eclipse, however, is to see it streamed live on television!

Will I be in “the path of totality”?

Twelve states are in the path of totality, where the moon’s umbral shadow will create a total solar eclipse: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. However, not every part of every state will experience totality.
A number of web sites show which towns and areas will experience totality. NationalEclipse.com,  GreatAmericanEclipse.com and NASA‘s excellent web sites will tell you if your home is “in the path.”

Are there any good children books about eclipses?

Yes! "The Big Eclipse", written by Nancy Coffelt, is "a captivating, astronomically accurate, fun-filled adventure of what to exactly expect and how to safely see and enjoy all the phenomena that surround this upcoming total solar eclipse. It educates and engages children (and adults) flawlessly with the levity necessary to get the most out of nature’s most awesome spectacle.” You can read more about this book (which includes one pair of eclipse sunglasses) and/or buy it here: http://orbitoregon.org/the-book/

 

Text adopted from "http://orbitoregon.org/".

Choose Small and Choose Local for your EyeCare Needs!

We are a small, family & locally-owned clinic that believes strongly in not only providing the best in patient care, but also in supporting and genuinely caring for our local community. We understand there are many options available to you for your eye care needs. Our residency-trained optometric physicians and board certified staff are dedicated to providing you with the best in eye health care and optical products. Our attentive doctors reserve 45 minutes for each comprehensive eye exam utilizing the latest technology in a full scope optometric practice. And our opticians will spend the time with you choosing the right frame and lenses for your prescription and lifestyle needs.

Dr. Friberg always performs binocular vision testing as part of your refractive status, as to not miss the need for prisms, vision therapy or extra plus for reading. These extra steps during refraction are often overlooked at many other practices, because they take extra time. Aside from the correctly balanced lens prescription, getting the right glasses requires choosing the correct frame for one’s face, taking a myriad of key measurements taken by an optician and selecting the correct lens type and material for your prescription. An online merchant will not be able to take all of these custom measurements and help you with your frame and lens selection. For example, if a lens isn't centered on the pupil in one eye, discomfort, eyestrain or double vision may result. If a frame is not properly fit to one’s face, and/or proper lenses are not carefully selected for the given prescription and frame, lenses may be too heavy, have large thick bevels, or cause uncomfortable distortion. Therefore, having an ABO-certified optician help you with your choice of frame, lenses and measurements still remains the gold standard and an essential part of getting new comfortable eyewear.

Our opticians have also put a lot of research into understanding which personalized lens types will serve your needs best. Most big box, chain or discount opticals typically offer only a few lens styles out of the myriad that are available. At Uptown EyeCare, we get to know the latest in innovative design and technology by working with not just one lab, but a few best ones in our industry. And we get to know you and your lifestyle needs– we recognize that every person has unique lifestyle requirements and will require and benefit from different lens designs and features. There simply is no proper "one size fits all" lens. Getting fitted into custom lenses such as anti-fatigue lenses, computer progressives or custom progressives requires unique knowledge of knowing what style will work best for a certain prescription, lifestyle need and frame – and we are here to share our knowledge with you!

We also specialize in small company, unique and artful eyeglass frames from around the world. We have a variety of frame materials, styles, colors and hinges available, and our selection is always changing! We also carry eyewear for your little ones! To make sure your eyewear fits well and you are seeing out of the proper prescription after we dispense your glasses, we recommend frequent adjustments – these are always complimentary of course! If your frame needs a complex repair, we are often able to help you on the spot for a nominal fee, or refer you to an expert in the field with specialized equipment who can help. Also, our frame and lens products have a one-year warranty against any manufacturer defects.

At Uptown EyeCare, we strongly stand behind our prescriptions, as well as our frame and lens recommendations. If your eyes are having a hard time getting used to your new glasses after 2 - 3 weeks after your optician carefully adjusts your eyewear, we are happy to trouble-shoot the prescription and/or remake the lenses with a different lens style or new prescription within 60 days at no charge to you. You will not find these personalized services online, or at discount opticals.

Our doctors and opticians attentively work together as a team to ensure a quality pair of glasses you will enjoy for years. We care about you seeing and looking your very best!