This summer’s Total Solar Eclipse falls on August 21, the day after Sunday Parkways, so Kaiser Permanente, our presenting sponsor, is giving away solar eclipse glasses at the Outer Northeast Portland ride to help you protect your eyes and thrive.

During the eclipse, some rays of the sun will peak around the moon in a halo, which you should try to avoid looking at directly. When you’re not seeing the full sun, it can feel much safer to look at it directly than it actually is. If you and your family are viewing the eclipse, it’ll be important to take special precautions to protect your vision.

“Staring directly at the sun or at a solar eclipse can harm your retinas, which contain the light-sensing cells that make vision possible,” said Anthony Cirino, MD, an ophthalmologist with Kaiser Permanente in Portland. “Usually, most of us can’t tolerate staring at the sun long enough to cause trouble. But a solar eclipse makes viewing the sun easier, less uncomfortable, and considerably more dangerous than usual.”

The only safe way to look directly at a partially eclipsed sun is through special solar filters, such as the eclipse glasses Kaiser Permanente is giving away at Sunday Parkways, along with a Vision Essentials flyer that has additional eye safety tips. You can pick up your glasses at the Kaiser Permanente booth at Thompson Park, or at any of our five sponsor booths on the route. (*While supplies last, one pair of glasses per family.)

Be sure to share your eclipse glasses photos on social media with hashtag #KPShades!

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