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Consumers urged to beware fake and unsafe viewing glasses sold online ahead of eclipse

ended 11. August 2026

Consumers planning to watch Wednesday’s solar eclipse are being warned to take extra care when buying eclipse glasses online, amid concerns that fake, poorly made or misleadingly marketed products could leave their eyesight at risk.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK on Wednesday 12 August. 

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned that looking directly at the Sun without the correct protection can cause permanent damage to eyesight, and says people should not use eclipse glasses if they are unsure whether they are properly certified.

UKHSA also advises against using damaged eclipse glasses and says people can view the eclipse indirectly using methods such as a pinhole viewer if they do not have suitable eye protection.

  • Are you viewing the eclipse? What glasses or equipment will you be using?
  • How dangerous are fake and poorly marketed products that could affect your health?
  • How dangerous is it to look at the sun without the right equipment?

Responses asap.

4 responses from the Newspage community

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Editor
Kate Underwood
Founder & Chief People Strategist at Kate Underwood HR and Training
Am I watching Wednesday's eclipse? Oh yes. Am I doing it through glasses that turned up in a jiffy bag from a seller called xX_MoonDealz_Xx? I would rather stare at the Sun through a colander. Let us be clear about the Sun. It is 27 million degrees, it is 93 million miles away, and it still fancies its chances against your 99p specials. It has never read a review, never issued a refund, and it is not about to start for you and your "basically the same as the certified ones, mate" bargain. Rule I give every small firm I look after: if your safety kit costs less than a meal deal, it is not a saving, it is a dare with your face. Grab a pinhole viewer. Free, idiot proof, and gloriously unlikely to blind you. And a little one for the late, great Bonnie Tyler. She sang about a total eclipse of the heart. She did not sign up for a total eclipse of your eyeballs.

Cheap glasses. Dear lesson.
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Editor
Samuel Mather-Holgate
Managing Director & IFA at Mather and Murray Financial
This is one of those situations where a cheap online bargain could have genuinely life-changing consequences. With the weather looking good across much of the country, visibility could be excellent and millions of people may be tempted to look up.

The danger with fake eclipse glasses is that people may actually stare at the Sun for longer because they believe they're protected. Retinal damage can happen without pain, and by the time you realise something is wrong, the damage could be permanent.

If you're buying glasses online, this isn't the moment to take a punt on an unknown seller to save a few quid. Make sure they're genuine, properly certified eclipse glasses meeting ISO 12312-2, or use a safe indirect viewing method instead.

Saving £5 isn't worth gambling with your eyesight.
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Editor
Bob Singh
Founder at Chess Mortgages
Social media platforms need to more to authenticate business ads

There are many fake profiles set up by fraudsters who will prey on unsuspecting victims to seize their details and scam them out of fees

Be very aware and always do your due diligence

Fraudsters will never come on camera !
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Tamzin Burch
PR & Social Media Marketing Manager at Corsearch
At Corsearch, we see how counterfeiters exploit sudden spikes in consumer demand, and major events like a solar eclipse can create exactly that opportunity. Bad actors can move quickly, using online marketplaces and misleading claims to sell products that appear legitimate but may not meet required safety standards.

When the product is designed to protect someone’s health, counterfeiting becomes more than a brand or IP issue, it becomes a consumer safety issue. Fake eclipse glasses could give consumers a dangerous sense of security when looking directly at the sun.

This is why proactive online brand protection matters. Identifying and removing suspicious listings before consumers are harmed is critical, particularly around time-sensitive events when demand accelerates quickly. Consumers should follow official safety guidance and purchase protective products from trusted, verifiable sources.