Tick tock… In just a few hours, the total solar eclipse will take place in the sky. Your certified protective glasses ISO 12312-2 are bought, the perfect spot to watch it is found, but one question is nagging at us: if we want to enjoy it alongside our beloved pet, do we need to protect them too?
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Essential protection for humans
It's a proven fact: without proper protection, watching an eclipse can have devastating effects on your eyesight. At the moment, you feel nothing—no itching or burning sensations. However, in the days that follow, black spots can appear and blur your vision. Unfortunately, these spots are irreversible. During the 1999 eclipse, 147 people suffered retinal damage and 7 people became visually impaired. This is why it's essential to wear glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2:2015 standard and to keep them on throughout your entire eclipse observation. Medical X-rays, photographic negatives, regular sunglasses or even the glasses used for the 1999 eclipse are
of any effectiveness to protect you!
A disruption of the internal clock of certain animals
But what about animals then? Good news, there's nothing to worry about for them. They instinctively tend to look away from the Sun and their vision therefore cannot be affected by UV radiation. No need to equip them with glasses, or even keep them indoors to protect them from the sun. On the other hand, it's the huge crowds and all the commotion surrounding this historic event that can cause stress, particularly in dogs.
The sudden darkness caused by the Moon moving between the Earth and the Sun can also seem unusual and disrupt the internal clock of our animal friends. Dogs and cats might for example think it's l&rsqtime to eat their meal or go to sleep. As for the rest of the wildlife, it’s possible to see nocturnal insects becoming active earlier than usual, or birds stopping their singing.