"How to Tell If Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Fake and Protect Your Eyes from Damage"

AS the solar eclipse is set to cast a shadow over the UK today, Brits have been racing to get their hands on the specialist specs.

But before securing a pair, it’s important to check whether or not they’re actually authentic.

As stocks of glasses have been almost completely depleted, star-gazers have been seeking alternate methods to get their hands on the elusive specs.

From resellers to last minute re-stocks, what may seem like a great deal could actually wind up permanently damaging your .

One expert, Dr Panos Maghsoudlou – who is a clinical lecturer in Ophthalmology at the University of Bristol – told The Sun that this is because even “the tiniest fraction of sun is far brighter than anything the eye tolerates and the damage is irreversible”.

With of fake or damaged lenses on the rise, she advises to test the glasses prior to the eclipse tonight (August 12).

One method to do this is by putting them on and glancing at a bright lightbulb.

If you have a functioning pair of specs, she said: “You should be able to just see the filament”.

Authentic eclipse viewing equipment must also be explicitly stamped with the code ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written as ISO 12312-2:2015) to certify the highest level of eye protection.

In the case of damaged glasses, Maghsoudlou warns that multi-stacked sunglasses, smoked glass, or colanders are not safe to use to view the sun directly.

Instead, alternative methods such as or even welding goggles can provide better solar protection.

The UK is set to experience the partial solar eclipse for almost two hours today, where the majority of the country will see at least 90 per cent solar coverage.

Parts of the far will experience almost complete obscurity, with 96 per cent of the sun covered.