‘My Lowe’s sold out and my Amazon order was canceled’: Sonic has eclipse glasses. But are they safe?

On Monday, April 8, people in the United States will witness a solar eclipse. This event, which USA Today notes will not be seen again from the contiguous U.S. until Aug. 23, 2044, has caused a flurry of online discussion, ranging from tales of trying to get eclipse glasses to conspiracy theories about the eclipse itself.

Concerning the former, experts advise not looking directly into the eclipse and instead wearing a form of eye protection, such as the aforementioned eclipse glasses.

However, there are several problems with this idea. First, eclipse glasses frequently sell out around the time of an eclipse; second, the need for eclipse glasses in short notice has created a market for counterfeit glasses that will fail to protect the eyes of the wearer, possibly resulting in permanent damage.

Although one can find other ways to observe the eclipse, eager eclipse viewers have sought other ways to secure a pair of pre-made glasses. One method for doing so recently went viral—and spawned a lot of questions.

In a video with over 569,000 views, TikTok user Stefaunie (@stefaunie) says that those in need of eclipse glasses can simply head down to their local Sonic.

“If you are looking for eclipse glasses, Sonic has some if you order the Blackout Slush, and it's only like 4 bucks,” Stefaunie says in her video, in which she holds a pair of Sonic-branded eclipse glasses. “I don't even want the slush—I just wanted these boys.”

@stefaunie

♬ original sound - Stefaunie

Immediately, commenters began to wonder if they could trust Sonic’s eclipse glasses.

“would not trust sonic eclipse glasses,” said a user.

“those are fake and will damage ur eyes,” added another.

So are the glasses legitimate? According to a press release from Sonic itself, they have made sure that the glasses are appropriate for eclipse viewing.

“The eclipse viewing glasses have been approved for short term direct observation of the sun by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and have been lab tested to ensure they are safe and meet all applicable rules and regulations,” the press release reads.

Others on TikTok have attempted to verify this information as well, showing that the glasses appear to meet all of the requirements for safe eclipse viewing.

“They have the ISO certification with the specified number on it, and they also have the manufacturer, the manufacturer's address, and their website printed on, which is a great sign,” explains TikTok user Rave (@rvenvan).

@rvenvan Replying to @madison if you got your glasses from sonic they are a good choice! #sonic #eclipse #totaleclipse #soniceclipseglasses ♬ original sound - Rave

“Now, I do already know this is a safe pair of glasses because I did look into the manufacturer, but again if you want to double check, you can take a flashlight, hold it up—this one, even though it's a pretty bright flashlight, does not even shine through,” the TikToker notes upon trying to shine a flashlight through the lenses. “It is OK to see a small little dot; it just shouldn't be very see-through or very bright through the glasses.”

For those in need of eclipse glasses, many commenters agree that Sonic is a good last-minute resource at a time when stores are running low on supply.

“I got 2 slushies and they gave me 6 glasses,” said a user.

However, others suggested simply going to one’s local library.

“The library always gives them out,” observed a commenter.

“They were free at the library,” echoed a second.

We’ve reached out to Sonic and Rave via email, and Stefaunie via Instagram DM.

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