With the big solar eclipse set to hit Minnesota this Monday, August 21st, you’ve probably been told that you need to wear special glasses in order to view it. If you’ve ever wondered exactly why you need to protect your eyes, this is a pretty solid heads-up.

Lou Tomososki, 70, lives in Oregon, and shared his story with local reporters in order to spread caution about the big event. Back in 1962, he viewed a partial eclipse when he was in high school. Because high school guys can often be pretty dumb (I know this from extensive personal experience), he took up his friend on a dare to stare at the sun, because ‘if you stare at it long enough, the brightness goes away.’

About that.

Within hours, Lou and his friend began having vision problems that have lasted a lifetime. By looking up at the sun, Lou actually burned a hole in the retina of his right eye. It’s about the size of a small pea, which...is slightly terrifying to say the least.

So yeah, if you plan on viewing the solar eclipse, you definitely want to score a pair of specs. And make sure you spread the word to your friends and family, because I personally like not having holes in my eyes.

Here is how you can find out where to score special shades on the free side. I would recommend doing so!

Source: KARE 11

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