With two days to go before the solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12, finding certified eclipse glasses in Madrid is starting to be almost as difficult as choosing a good spot from which to look west. The free distribution organized by the City Council has run out of stock at most of the locations that began handing out glasses in mid-July.
First were the municipal libraries, which confirmed they no longer had any glasses available. Since then, other locations on the initial list have gradually run out. The Madrid Planetarium already displays a “glasses sold out” notice on its website, and the Madrid History Museum explicitly states that there are no units left and that it will not be receiving any more. The same is true at the San Isidro Museum and the Municipal Printing House–Book Arts, whose municipal websites also announce that stock has run out.
The situation has changed quickly. City Hall had planned to continue its campaign through August 12 and had designated the Planetarium, the History and San Isidro museums, the Municipal Printing Office, Conde Duque, and the library network as distribution sites—always with one condition that now proves decisive: while supplies last.
Where can you still get free glasses in Madrid?
The fact that the municipal campaign has run out of stock doesn’t mean that the free distribution has ended entirely. One of the alternatives with the largest number of distribution points is the campaign launched by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and the ONCE Social Group.
ONCE announced the free distribution of approved glasses through its sales representatives, both at newsstands and at its usual points of sale. Distribution intensified during the week beginning August 3 and is part of a national campaign involving two million units, although specific availability depends on the stock remaining with each sales representative.
Not all of the science centers that participated in that campaign are still an option. The National Museum of Natural Sciences, in Madrid, already warns on its own website that its free glasses have run out.
The other major supply of glasses will be distributed throughout the region. The Community of Madrid maintains more than 50 viewing locations linked to its eclipse program and has announced the free distribution of certified glasses at these sites. They range from Buitrago del Lozoya, Somosierra, and Rascafría to Colmenar Viejo, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Meco, Robledo de Chavela, and San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
If you have to buy them, certification matters more than price
With the free giveaways under pressure, the only option left is to purchase them at opticians, specialty stores, and trusted retailers. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs specifically recommends turning to official channels or specialty stores and not simply trusting a pair of glasses just because they have the word “eclipse” printed on them.
The basic standard is EN ISO 12312-2:2015, which is specific to direct observation of the Sun. The glasses must also comply with European requirements for personal protective equipment, have the necessary conformity documentation, and bear the corresponding CE marking.
It’s also a good idea to check the filter before using them. A frame that appears intact is of little use if the film is scratched, punctured, broken, or damaged. Conventional sunglasses, X-rays, tinted lenses, or homemade solutions also won’t work as substitutes.
And there’s another important precaution: eclipse glasses are designed to be viewed directly with the naked eye, not to be placed in front of binoculars, cameras, or telescopes. Those instruments concentrate radiation and require specific solar filters that must be installed correctly.
Alert: Six models withdrawn before the eclipse
The last-minute rush to get a pair of glasses comes with a safety warning. On Monday, August 10, FACUA-Consumidores en Acción reported the recall of six products following actions taken by various regional consumer protection agencies. The affected brands are Lionstar, ECP Eye Care Professional, Pelispan, Homanaje, Orro, and Opticalia.
Among the listed products are the Lionstar LSP1, the Homanaje QW-50Z1, and the Orro O37-R from lot 2603-01, along with products marketed under the ECP Eye Care Professional, Pelispan, and Opticalia brands. Recall orders have been added over the past few weeks to the hazardous non-food product alert network.
The problem identified is not immediately obvious: in several cases, the filter is excessively dark. Users are unable to locate the sun’s disk correctly and may react by lifting the glasses, tilting them, or removing them for a few seconds to get their bearings. This action leaves the retina directly exposed to solar radiation and can cause serious eye damage.