Why should children under six years old watch the eclipse only on television?

PalmaThe Department of Health recommends that children under six years of age watch the solar eclipse on August 12th on television and not directly. The Minister of Health, Manuela García, presented the health protocol for this day with a call for "prudence" and "responsibility" to prevent irreversible eye injuries.

Children are a vulnerable group because their retinas are more sensitive and it is more complex to ensure they comply with safety measures. Ophthalmologists warn that the emotion of the moment dilates the pupil, a factor that increases the risk of suffering serious damage.

The minister recalled that the only safe option is to use certified glasses that comply with ISO 12312-2 regulations and the CE marking, and warned that homemade methods such as smoked glass, X-rays, and conventional sunglasses offer no protection against solar rays.

Just 30 seconds of direct, unprotected exposure can cause irreversible damage to the retina, with symptoms that sometimes take between six and 48 hours to appear. Specialists strongly advise against watching the phenomenon with binoculars, telescopes, or optical devices combined with certified glasses, as the concentration of light will pierce the filter and cause immediate serious damage.

These injuries translate into dark spots in the center of vision, distortions, or color alterations. Other subsequent symptoms include redness, itching, burning, tearing, and blurred vision.

Assistance deviceThe Director General of the Health Service, Javier Ureña, has detailed the health deployment, which will reinforce care at points where more public is expected: Andratx, Santa Ponça, Sóller, Esporles, Pollença, and Platja de Palma, the latter with the highest expected crowd.

The protocol will be operational from two days before the eclipse until two days after, with a gradual withdrawal. Communication between hospitals, Primary Care, and SAMU 061 has been optimized to provide a rapid response to incidents.

The operation adds 160 extra health professionals: 40 in Primary Care (26 in Mallorca, 6 in Menorca, 6 in Ibiza, and 2 in Formentera), 70 in hospitals, and 50 in SAMU 061. The cost of this reinforcement is around 100,000 euros.

Counterfeit controlThe Director General of Public Health, Elena Esteban, has explained the two inspection campaigns launched to supervise eyeglasses for sale. The first, coordinated at the state level with eight autonomous communities, evaluates the quality of the lens material. At the regional level, the documentation of five brands in the Balearic Islands has been audited to curb counterfeiting and legal non-compliance.

To date, inspectors have completed about thirty checks and have removed from the market and destroyed 48 pairs of glasses that did not comply with regulations due to labeling defects or for not having the CE marking.