Looking directly at the eclipse could cause damage to the retina, according to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists. This can happen without causing any pain.
Safety equipment, such as eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, can be used.
Legitimate pairs of eclipse glasses will have safety certification ISO 12312-2 or ISO 12312-2:2015 printed somewhere on the glasses, according to The Royal Observatory Greenwich.
The government advised not to use eclipse glasses if the lenses are scratched, torn or damaged.
Alternatively, people can watch the eclipse indirectly, external without any specialist equipment.
Safe options include a pinhole viewer, which can be easily made at home, through a colander or the gaps between tree leaves, or by projecting the sun's image onto a sheet of paper using a simple pinhole projector.
BBC Sky at Night Magazine, external also recommends ways to enjoy the eclipse without eclipse glasses.
