Dr. Reuven Shanik, of Pediatric Affiliates today, spoke with TLS about the dangers of the upcoming solar eclipse, and requested that we stress the importance of watching over children during this historic event.
“You need to be very careful,” says Dr. Shanik. “The rays around the moon that’s blocking the sun can cause serious damage of the eyes. One should not look at the sun unless wearing special glasses.”
As earlier reported, there is only one safe way to look directly at the sun, whether during an eclipse or not: through special-purposesolar filters. These solar filters are used in “eclipse glasses” or in hand-held solar viewers. They must meet a very specific worldwide standard known as ISO 12312-2.
Dr. Shanik especially warned about children.
“Most children are not careful, and may take them off,” said Dr. Shanik. “Additionally, children should not be playing outside during that time. Also, if you tell them not to look at the sun, they will definitely look at it.” He added, “children have a habit to take off glasses – sometimes children may decide it’s fine, so they’ll take off the glasses. You need to be very careful with children.”
The eclipse, which will reach approximately 90% of coverage in New Jersey, starts at 2:09 PM and ends at 4:36 PM. It will peak in Lakewood at 3:25 PM.
“At that point you really have to make sure that they’re not playing outside,” the doctor said. “It’s a problem with school dismissal during that time. We don’t want any primary damage to the eye.”
See also here for critical safety information released by Hatzolah of Central Jersey.
Maybe an idea to keep kids in school with a special activity
I don’t understand why schools aren’t dismissing early that day. There is potential for a serious sakana.
What a Mussar Haskil for Shmeras Eneyim! If people would only realize that the damage done by the lack of Shmiras Eneyim is so much more worse that the physical damage done by a solar eclipe, we all would be so much better.
All schools must at the VERY LEAST purchase eclipse glasses for every child!
Avenues of the Sky is a frum company in Lakewood which sells American-made eclipse glasses. They will match ANY advertised price, and the schools can use Title money to pay for the glasses.
They can be reached at 848-223-2366.
Who is making sure the younger kids don’t take off the glasses when they are dismissed, on the bus etc….
People should really take this very seriously
My Anikel 12 years old in Eretz Yisroel over a year ago when there was a eclipse there, the Yeshiva took them to look with special glasses but unfortunately he took it off and looked for a few seconds maybe 10 seconds
He burned both of his retinas and must now read with a magnify glass, the Dr said there were a few other children with the same problem
It’s not for me to say what Yeshivas should do but a Rabbie or Morah must realize that children are children and are curious
So please everyone be careful
I’m sorry to say, but all of the warnings on the topic have been extremely lackluster in explaining the potential danger.
Can anyone explain clearly what the issue is and why it differs from a regular sunny/cloudy day or a regular night.
The half a sentence on the topic here from Dr Shanik makes it sound like the moon is the villain here. If that were the case, shouldn’t we be wearing protective glasses every moonlit night?
The best explanation that I heard last eclipse was as such: the UV light and radiation from the sun is still (somehow) coming through, yet the bright burning light is not. Normally the bright yellow light from the sun makes you feel a burning sensation if you stare directly at it. However, since the moon is blocking the light, if you stare up in the direction of the sun you can burn your eyes with the UV rays and radiation from the sun without the bright light deterring you from staring too long.
I’m not quite sure I understand this fully.
If that is the danger, shouldn’t staring at the clouds on a bright summer day cause the same damage? I mean, you are looking in the direction of the sun but not directly at it.
Interestingly, the forecast is calling for clouds at that time of the day on Monday.
Last time there was eclipse frenzy, the day turned out to be overcast as well.
Looking at the sun on a normal day is painful & will cause one to look away. With an eclipse since most of the sun is covered the pain isn’t there so people feel it’s safe to look at. However, (in Lakewood) where 90% is covered the other 10% can cause damage to the eye without feeling any discomfort.
Um, the sun isn’t in our line of vision at night, kind of why it is dark then, the moon only reflects the light. All he said was the moon doesn’t block out the rays completely, it is there around the moon even by a total eclipse, that is the danger, sun rays, not the moon.
Thanks for clarifying. All the same, I’m am going to use my new eclipse-glasses when I look at the moon for the next few nights until this whole eclipse thingamajig blows over.
As Mr Schon pointed out, it seems to be dangerous if one stares at the sun for a bunch of seconds continuously.
Schools handing out glasses are not the answer for kids as you can’t see anything around you while wearing them.
Children are curious. Telling them not to look at all won’t work.
No doctor ever said there can be eye damage for looking at it for 1-3 seconds.
The correct warning should be not to STARE at the sun.
WHAT IS A PRACTICAL SOLUTION FOR OUR KIDS??
Keep your children inside the house or school etc…. during the entire time of this eclipse and away from looking out of the windows by giving them a interesting activity to do through the entire time until it’s over.
Safety is the most important
Dr. Shanick,
There is a protein called NU-9 that well may be proved beneficial to ALS suffers.
There is a rabbi in Lakewood who is suffering from ALS. A Dr. Richard Silverman of Northwestern Univ. developed this molecule. In the laboratory and in mice afflicted with ALS his discovery using dyes demonstrated that nerve cells which caused the eventual paralysis were REGROWN and the effects of ALS were extremely mitigated.
Our FDA is suppose to conduct phase 1 trials TBD.
Can u do anything to hasten the testing of the molecule in phase 1 determined the drugs safety and use the molecule for the rabbi ???
Toddah rabbah a goy,
Gerry Mullen
Schools should not dismiss until after 5 as in NYC, or send home early.