The Pittsburgh region will experience a partial solar eclipse with 95% totality on the afternoon of April 8, and the Allegheny Health Network is offering safety guidelines so people can enjoy the phenomenon while protecting their eyes.

Optometrist Sarah Zambotti said looking at the sky during the eclipse without the proper protective eyewear could cause retinal damage.

Zambotti said regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the eclipse. She recommended viewers not look at the event through a phone camera; be cautious of children during the eclipse; and those with prior eye conditions should stay inside.

Zambotti said solar eclipse filters that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard are 100,000 times darker than normal sunglasses and will filter damaging UV rays from the sun to best protect your ocular health. She said these can be purchased from such online retailers as American Paper Optics, Daystar Filters, Rainbow Symphony and Thousand Oaks Optical.

They can be purchased locally at the Walmart Vision Center and other local retailers.