Amazon Is Issuing Refunds for Knockoff Solar Eclipse Glasses

Amazon is contacting and refunding shoppers who bought potentially shoddy counterfeit solar eclipse glasses on the company’s website, Amazon said Sunday.

As well as offering refunds for glasses that “may not comply with industry standards,” the e-commerce giant is also taking down several unspecified listings of purported eclipse glasses “out of an abundance of caution,” CNN Money reports.

Demand for protective specs to safely view the Aug. 21 eclipse across the U.S. has spiked. Purpose-built ultra-dark sunglasses are needed for observing solar eclipses, in order to prevent the sun’s rays from potentially causing permanent eye damage when directly viewed with the naked eye.

But substandard, knockoff glasses that may not offer sufficient protection have reportedly entered the marketplace, reports CNN Money, with some even containing counterfeit ISO certification labels.

Amazon has not disclosed how many glasses it has recalled. According to KGW, some vendors have reported their glasses being recalled despite being verified as safe.

To be sure, the American Astronomical Society has a list of reputable vendors of solar eclipse glasses, as well as specialty filters for telescopes, binoculars, and camera lenses.