Where to Buy Eclipse Glasses Before August 12 — And Why Most People Are Getting It Wrong

Watching people from all over the country fight over a small piece of cardboard with dark lenses is a little strange. This is pretty much what’s happening in Spain right now, tho. Millions of people are realizing—some just in time—that they need proper eclipse glasses before August 12, 2026. That day, there will be a total solar eclipse, the first one of its kind to be seen from Spain in more than 120 years. And the glasses are either out of stock, too expensive, or slowly dangerous, depending on where you look.

One word that keeps coming up is “ISO 12312-2:2015.” Those are the requirements that all certified eclipse glasses must meet around the world. These filters block almost all of the sun’s harmful rays, like ultraviolet and infrared light, which regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, can’t. The Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN) in Spain has made this very clear. So have eye doctors, who are now warning people about solar retinopathy, a condition in which staring at the sun hurts the retina but doesn’t hurt right away. It’s especially misleading because the damage doesn’t always show up for hours.

But where do you really find them? Opticians, pharmacies, and well-known electronics stores like MediaMarkt, which has been selling certified pairs for a long time, are the most reliable places to get them. You can also buy them online, like at Amazon Spain, where you can also find multi-packs for families. Some brands, like Hawkers, have even made their own versions that are ISO-certified. Some stores, like Astroshop and Oryx, that specialize in astronomy tend to have better filters, but stock is becoming less stable at this point.

If you’re on a tight budget, a basic certified pair will cost you around one to three euros. It’s not always true that spending a lot more means getting better eye protection. The certification mark is what matters, not the frame material or the brand name. A pair with a cardboard frame and a valid ISO label is safer than one that looks expensive but doesn’t have one.

People who still haven’t been able to buy a pair should know about another option. The Spanish government and the social group ONCE have worked together to give away two million free certified glasses all over the country. Each of ONCE’s more than 23,000 vendors has been given between 60 and 100 pairs to give out directly. Beside that, dozens of science museums and cultural centers are giving them away for free. These include the Parque de las Ciencias in Granada, the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in Valencia, and the Planetario de Madrid, which got 50,000 pairs that were given out in city libraries and public spaces. There aren’t many supplies left at these places.

One thing that doesn’t get enough attention is that fake certification labels are possible. Because of the high demand before the eclipse, Spain’s main consumer group, the OCU, has made this worry clear. It is necessary for the frame to have a CE mark and an ISO reference, but they are not proof enough on their own. When you buy something from a well-known store, like a pharmacy, an optical chain, or a museum gift shop, you can be sure that the seller is trustworthy, which you can’t get from an unknown online seller. Take the extra minute to check.

Hold each pair up to a bright light and look for wrinkles, scratches, pinholes, or any other damage to the filter before you use them. Even if it was certified when it was new, a filter that is broken is no longer safe. And eclipse glasses should never be used with binoculars or a camera lens without putting a separate solar filter over the front of the gear. The strong light that comes from optical equipment is too much for the glasses to handle on their own.

A narrow band of Spain will be able to see the eclipse, and only people in that path will be able to see the whole thing. During the short times of totality, when the sun is completely blocked, you don’t need to wear glasses. As soon as a sliver of sunlight comes back, they turn back on. That window isn’t very long. It’s likely a good idea to practice the motion first.