Amazon is refunding customers who have purchased possibly fake protective solar eclipse eyewear in preparation for a solar eclipse on August 21, according to a safety notification from the company.
Gearing up for the celestial event, residents in the U.S. have been buying protective glasses from retailers like Amazon.com. However, little did some know that a handful of products on Amazon are from factories that either possess fake certificates or own none at all, which could jeopardise the quality of the spectacles and in consequence the vision of costumers who bought the faulty eyewear.
Amazon started cracking down on the suspect glasses, removing products from manufacturers that are not verified and refunding customers who already bought them.
"Safety is among our highest priorities," an Amazon spokesperson told TechCrunch.
"We want customers to buy with confidence anytime they make a purchase on Amazon.com and eclipse glasses sold on Amazon.com are required to comply with the relevant ISO standard."
Looking directly at the sun, even during eclipse, with proper glasses is harmful to the eyes and can even cause blindness.
Qualified eclipse glasses are only safe when they can block out all but 1/100,000 of the sun's light and have been recognized and approved by NASA and the American Astronomical Society, according to the International Organization for Standardization.
