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Yes, you'll need glasses to safely watch the solar eclipse, but are any left?

Posted at 4:09 PM, Aug 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-19 08:21:38-04

Monday's solar eclipse, for most people, will be one of, if not, the rarest events in their life.

Millions of people will be looking straight into the sun, on any other day, you wouldn't do it. 

It's been nearly 100 years since Americans have experienced this kind of event, but you've got to be prepared. 

Certified solar glasses are a necessity to properly view the solar eclipse. Wearing them, you'll see the sun as an orange dot. 

Valley optometrist Randall Paul wants people to know just how serious the eclipse is, and just how important it is to protect your eyes. 

"The sun in Arizona is going to be one-third uncovered," he said. "For that major amount of sun, you can't even look at the sliver of the sun for seconds without damaging your retina."

A solar burn to your eyeball is irreversible. 

Even wearing four of five pairs of sunglasses on top of each other is not good enough. 

"They have to be certified sunglasses," Paul said. "By international standards, they are so black when you put them on you cannot see any light, through these you look at the sun it's a little orange ball."

ABC15 checked with the following stores to see if the glasses were still available, but none were located: 

  • Lowe's
  • Home Depot
  • CVS
  • Walgreens
  • Safeway
  • Toys-R-Us
  • Target
  • Walmart
  • Fry's 
  • Best Buy 
  • Bed Bath & Beyond 
  • Circle K 
  • 7-Eleven

Official, certified solar glasses have sold out Valleywide.

If you see ideas floating around the web on how to make them yourself, or improvise, beware. 

"Absolutely no way to make them yourself," Paul said. "Don't even think about it."