Solar eclipse sparks scramble for protective glasses across Europe
The scramble for protective glasses has reached fever pitch across Europe ahead of Wednesday's rare total solar eclipse, as pharmacies, opticians and other shops struggle to keep them in stock.
Protective eyewear for Spain's total solar eclipse has become a scarce commodity, with pharmacies and opticians grappling to keep up with demand. Madrid's National Museum of Natural Sciences has run out of certified glasses, as have many other distribution points across the country. Some pharmacies in central Madrid still offer glasses for €3-€4 per pair, but Barcelona's Carles Sisquella has been out of stock for 10 days.
Doctors warn that looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse can harm the retina and central vision. In Brussels, people are also racing to find glasses, with pastry chef Arno Dossogne securing a last-minute shipment from a small optician's store. Opticians in France are experiencing similar shortages, with some pharmacies charging higher prices and others running out of stock entirely.
The demand has surpassed suppliers' expectations, with France's Federation of Pharmaceutical Trade Unions reporting that customers are buying glasses at a rate far greater than anticipated.
Written by urgent.news from The Local France's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
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