Use eye protection before and after solar eclipse totality

Newton County Library Director Kenya Windel offers a pair of solar eclipse glasses to Newton County Justice of the Peace Richard Campbell prior to the start of Monday night's quorum court meeting. The library has a large supply of the protective eyewear available free to the public. The Great American Solar Eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8. Most of Newton County is in the eclipse path of totality. Solar eclipse glasses need to be worn in order to safely view the eclipse before and after totality. Exposing your eyes to the sun without proper eye protection during a solar eclipse can cause “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns, also known as solar retinopathy. This exposure to the light can cause damage or even destroy cells in the retina (the back of the eye) that transmit what you see to the brain.