An eclipse is coming our way, and optometrists are sending a reminder to Manitobans to observe this phenomenon safely. 

On Monday, anytime after 12 p.m., you may be able to witness this solar eclipse, and Braden Nicoll, an optometrist at Clarity Vision, says that if you stare at it, the phenomenon may damage your eyes. 

"Unfortunately, there's a lot of energy that comes from the sun, so people are trying to stare right at it to watch that eclipse happen, that light all gets focused into the very sweet spot in the back of your eyes. It's responsible for your high-definition vision. So, staring too long at it can cause scarring and long-term damage to the eyes."

He notes that there isn't an exact time as to how long it takes to damage your eyes; however, Nicoll says that people tend to push through the pain when they look towards the sun and advises people not to do that. 

"The safest way to watch the eclipse is through solar eclipse glasses. You can usually get them online from places like Amazon, but you might need more time again. Now they have an actual safety number on them, so it's ISO 12312-2. Those ones are rated safe to use for looking at the sun."

The optometrist also mentions that some use welding helmets in this case; however, those are still not the safest option for eclipses as they do not react enough.