A rare total solar eclipse will sweep across the sky on Wednesday, Aug. 12, but many people hoping to watch it may have to do so without proper eye protection.
Eclipse glasses, which shield the eyes from the sun's harmful rays, have sold out in most high-street stores across Europe. Pharmacies, opticians and other shops are struggling to keep them in stock as demand reaches fever pitch just a day before the event.
The eclipse will pass along a narrow path of totality, while millions of people in North America and Europe will be treated to a partial eclipse.
With glasses hard to find, people are looking for alternatives, although experts stress that any method must safely filter the sun's rays.