AUGUST 15, 2017
Eye safety important
during total solar eclipse
Experiencing a solar eclipse can be an awe-inspiring phenomenon, and
in that excitement and hoopla many eclipse watchers may forget to take
precaution and maintain eye safety when viewing an eclipse.
The most important thing to remember is that it is never safe to look
directly at the sun, or the sun’s rays, even if the sun is partially covered
by an eclipse. Young children are especially at higher risk due to their
ocular media and lens being clearer and allowing more light and radiation
to pass through the eyes, resulting in permanent damage to the retina,
which can lead to significant vision loss and even blindness.
Fortunately, there are a few methods available to view a solar eclipse
safely.
Solar Eclipse Glasses
The only safe way to look directly at an uneclipsed or partially eclipsed
sun is through a special solar filter. Ordinary sunglasses and other tinted
lenses will not be sufficient in protecting your eyes. The special solar filters
are made of proprietary black or silver-black polymers and must be ISO
12312-2 certified. Solar eclipse glasses can be readily found at vendors on
the Internet. However, recommended manufacturers are Rainbow Sym-
phony, American Paper Optics and Thousand Oaks Optical. Grand Ronde
Station has solar eclipse glasses available for sale at $2 each.
Pinhole Projection
Another safe way of viewing a solar eclipse is through pinhole projec-
tions. To make a quick version of the pinhole projector, take a sheet of
paper or cardboard and make a tiny hole in the middle of it using a pin
or a thumbtack. Make sure that the hole is round and smooth. With your
back toward the Sun, hold one piece of paper above your shoulder allowing
the Sun to shine on a blank surface, such as another sheet of paper.
Welding Lenses Shade 14
Another, if impractical, way of safely viewing a solar eclipse is through
welder’s lenses. Shade 14 is the only approved shade for viewing a solar
eclipse. The material is much more specialized and costly than the solar
eclipse filter or pinhole projection. But for those with welding materials
in hand, it’s certainly another option.
The total solar eclipse will occur on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, and will last
for a few hours beginning about 9:05 a.m. The total solar eclipse will occur
for 101 seconds starting at 10 seconds before 10:17 a.m.
Other tips for viewing the solar eclipse:
Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an un-
filtered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device. Similarly,
do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars or any
other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or hand-held solar
viewer — the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your
eye(s), causing serious injury.
Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer
before looking up at the bright sun. After glancing at the sun, turn away
and remove your filter — do not remove it while looking at the sun.
The only safe time to view a solar eclipse is during a total eclipse, which is
a small window of time where the moon completely covers the sun. Oregon,
and specifically Grand Ronde, lies within the path of totality, resulting in
us being able to view a total solar eclipse.
Dark sunglasses, neutral density or polarizing filters (such as those made
for camera lenses), smoked glass, exposed film, “space blankets,” potato
chip bags, DVDs and any other materials you may have heard about for
solar viewing are not safe.
In some cases these homemade filters may seem like they dim the Sun
to a comfortable level, but that doesn't mean they do so across the whole
electromagnetic spectrum. While you're enjoying a “comfortable” view
of the “dim” Sun, solar infrared radiation could be cooking your retinas.
And you wouldn't know until later, because your retinas don't have pain
receptors. Only after the eclipse, when you notice blind spots or other
vision problems, would you realize you'd made a catastrophic mistake.
Observing a solar eclipse, especially with a chance to view one in total-
ity, can be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Keeping your eyes safe and
protected from permanent damage is also once in a lifetime.
By keeping in mind the dangers of viewing a solar eclipse improperly,
we can easily take precaution, and not miss one of nature’s most beautiful
events!
Solar Eclipse Safety Resources:
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety2.html
http://web.williams.edu/Astronomy/IAU_eclipses/look_eclipse.html
S moke S ignals
23
Attention: Health & Wellness
Center Eclipse Operations – Aug. 21
The Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center will be staffed with a
skeleton crew on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017.
Urgent care services will be provided. Medical Clinic staff will triage
patients according to the urgency of their medical needs and/or symptoms.
Unfortunately, because of limited staff availability, we will not be
able to provide routine or regularly scheduled visits. We will be able
to provide care for minor illnesses or injury, such as, flu, strep throat,
sprains and strains, and seasonal allergies.
Limited Pharmacy and Behavioral Health services also will be
available.
Sports physicals
It’s that time of year again to sign up for a sports physical. There are 20
spots open and you get a gift when you come into the Health & Wellness
Center for a physical. Medical has set aside times for sports physicals
from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22. Call to schedule an appointment at
503-879-2002.
Health & Wellness Center
patient feedback process
The Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center is striving to provide
patients with access to communicate challenges, concerns and positive
feedback. Patients are encouraged to discuss their concerns directly with
their health care provider, or any other member of the health care team,
when it occurs so that it can be resolved immediately if possible.
All complaints, concerns and positive feedback are tracked and consid-
ered valuable for quality improvement purposes. Quality Improvement
Manager Dawn Doar can be available to discuss information that the
patient would like to share regarding complaints, concerns and positive
feedback. The information is collected, documented and submitted for
review to the director of the department and a response is communicated
to the patient within seven to 10 business days. All urgent matters are
handled in a timelier manner for solution.
Doar can be reached at 503-879-1303 or in person in Wing B, Admin-
istration, 2nd Floor. To avoid risking protected health information from
being shared, it is not recommended to contact her through e-mail. In the
case that you would like her to contact you for more information, please
feel free to e-mail her at dawn.doar@grandronde.org. Information also can
be mailed to the GRHWC Administration address: P.O. Box 338, Grand
Ronde, Ore., 97347 if preferred.
Ad created by George Valdez