South Carolina Couple Sues Amazon Over Faulty Eclipse Glasses

The historic viewing of the Solar Eclipse is now over and a class action has been filed by a South Carolina couple claiming they suffered eye damage after using faulty eclipse glasses they purchased from Amazon.

Plaintiffs Thomas Corey Payne and Kayla Harris claim viewing the eclipse through the fake eclipse glasses caused them headaches and temporary vision loss and impairment.

Payne said he bought a three-pack of eclipse glasses from Amazon on Aug. 1.

He said he and Harris, his fiancée, were never alerted by Amazon that some of the eclipse glasses they sold were being recalled.

Payne said on August 21, he and Harris used the glasses to watch the eclipse.

A few hours later, the suit claims they both began to experience pain, eye watering, and visual distortions.

The couple also claims that other members of their proposed Class action suit have experienced, “varying degrees of eye injury ranging from temporary discomfort to permanent blindness.”

Harris and Payne allege Amazon knowingly put consumers at risk by selling eclipse glasses that did not meet the required lens safety standard of ISO 12312-2.

They assert Amazon’s attempt to recall the defective eclipse glasses by sending out a mass email was too little too late.

Amazon’s email stated that the supplier of Amazon eclipse glasses could not confirm that they were produced by a recommended manufacturer, and they asked that people who bought the glasses not use them to view the eclipse.

In Toccoa, local optometrist Dr. Kay Royal said she received an email from Amazon a full week before the eclipse, which gave her time to notify her patients.

Dr. Royal said Wednesday that in the weeks following the solar eclipse she has not had any of her patients complain of eye issues relating to viewing the solar eclipse.

“Thankfully, we have not and I haven’t heard of any of my collegues having an issue so we’re very thankful for that,” she said. “Thank goodness the word got out soon enough that people were smart about it.”

When asked if some of her patients might be experiencing eye issues related to the eclipse and not know it, Dr. Royal said those issues typically become apparent right away.

“I think people would know pretty readily because it affects your central vision,” Royal explained. “And so a loss of detail that would not go away. There are different levels of damage, but the long-term damage is what we were concerned about. And that happens pretty quickly. So, I think by now we would have heard about it.”

Harris and Payne are seeking an unspecified amount in damages and restitution, along with a court order barring Amazon from continuing to sell the fake eclipse glasses.