Yes, you can reuse old eclipse glasses, but only if the approved eyewear is not damaged

HOUSTON —

THE QUESTION

Can you reuse old eclipse glasses?

THE SOURCES

- American Academy of Ophthalmology
- NASA

THE ANSWER

Yes, you can reuse old eclipse glasses, but only if the approved eyewear is not damaged.

WHAT WE FOUND

When the sun does a disappearing act during the upcoming eclipse you want to ensure your approved solar glasses are securely in place for the experience that will last minutes. The KHOU 11 Verify Team found out from Dr. Shivani Kamat, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, that you can reuse old eclipse glasses for the April 8 event.

The only caveat to recycling the glasses from previous events is, that the glasses must be ISO 12312-2 and damage-free. Otherwise, you could risk the possibility of permanent eye damage.

"So you can get something called solar retinopathy which is basically damage to the macula. The macula is the central part of the retina... "it's not tissue that once it is damaged it can regenerate.", Kamat said.

Symptoms of Solar Retinopathy include persistent blurry vision or a blind spot that won't go away. Kamat encourages anyone with concerns to see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis.