As Spain prepares for the total solar eclipse scheduled for 12 August 2026, health authorities and astronomers are reminding the public that looking directly at the Sun without proper protection can cause solar retinopathy. The condition injures the retina, particularly the macula, and may blur basic vision or distort colors, sometimes leaving a blind spot. Symptoms can appear hours after exposure, so prevention is critical. A surge in online searches for “me duelen los ojos” after the 2024 total eclipse in the United States also highlighted public concern about eye safety.
The eclipse is expected to begin around 19:30 in Galicia. Anyone observing the Sun must wear certified eclipse glasses from the outset and keep them on whenever any part of the solar disk remains visible, but small the crescent. The only exception is the brief period of totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. In Galicia, this is expected at approximately 20:28, but only within the narrow path of totality. Depending on location, totality may last just a few seconds near the path’s edges or more than a minute and a half closer to its center. During that fully total phase, observers inside the path can remove their glasses to view the solar corona with the naked eye. They must put them back on immediately when direct sunlight returns, starting with the first bright flash.
For observers outside the path of totality, including many in Galicia who will experience up to 99.9% coverage, glasses must stay on throughout the event. The safety distinction is complete coverage versus partial coverage, not how close the eclipse comes to totality. Even a tiny exposed portion of the Sun remains hazardous to view directly. Local preparations and safety guidance are also discussed in a recent report on Catalonia's eclipse preparations.
Experts recommend setting a timer or alarm to signal the end of totality, particularly where the safe viewing period is very short. That reminder can help ensure glasses are back in place before the Sun reappears. People who wear prescription glasses should keep them on and place eclipse glasses over them; ordinary prescription lenses do not protect against solar radiation. Children should be supervised while observing.
Use purpose-made eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer that conforms to ISO 12312-2, and inspect the filter before use. Do not use glasses that are scratched or otherwise damaged or deteriorated. Ordinary sunglasses and smoked glass are not substitutes; the same goes for improvised filters, including photographic negatives. Cloud cover does not remove the risk: if the Sun is visible, protective filters are still required.
If certified viewers are unavailable, observe indirectly by projecting the Sun’s image onto a surface rather than looking at it directly. Telescopes and binoculars require a dedicated solar filter securely mounted at the front of the instrument. Cameras need one too. Eclipse glasses alone are not safe to use while looking through magnifying optics, which concentrate sunlight and can cause severe eye injury.
Solar retinopathy can cause persistent basic blurring or a blind spot. Focused sunlight may injure the macula within seconds to minutes of direct viewing. Anyone experiencing ongoing visual symptoms after looking at the Sun should seek an eye examination; optical coherence tomography can help identify retinal injury. Prevention remains impressive because ordinary sunglasses do not provide adequate protection.
The 2026 eclipse is part of Spain’s planned sequence of three eclipses from 2026 through 2028: two total solar eclipses and one annular eclipse, visible from different parts of the country. The Spanish government designated the wider program an event of exceptional public interest under Royal Decree-Law 12/2026 of 26 May. Its support program runs from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2029. In Galicia, the eclipse is also being incorporated into astronomy outreach and tourism initiatives, including “El cielo en el Camino,” presented in Fisterra by Belén do Campo, the Xunta de Galicia’s delegate in Pontevedra.
The totality-only exception does not apply to an annular eclipse: the Moon does not fully cover the Sun, so a bright ring remains visible and protective glasses must stay on throughout. For the 2026 total eclipse, as with any solar eclipse, the safest approach is to use an undamaged certified viewer during every partial phase and remove it only while the Sun is completely covered from a location inside the path of totality.
