Free Solar Eclipse Glasses Now Available in Chautauqua County

Chautauqua County Public Health Director Lacey Wilson showing the Solar Eclipse glasses available to all residents (March 12, 2024)

Chautauqua County officials have announced that free Solar Eclipse glasses are now available for distribution.

In November, the County Legislature approved using $50,000 of the county’s 3% occupancy tax reserves to purchase around 66,000 glasses for the eclipse on Monday, April 8. County Executive PJ Wendel said the order ended up being much higher and there are plenty of glasses to go around.

Chautauqua County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Faulk cautioned that viewing the solar eclipse without eclipse glasses can cause an eye injury known as solar retinopathy, “Folks may experience symptoms of perhaps a blind spot in one or both eyes, more commonly both eyes; blurry vision, or a headache. These symptoms may occur within hours to days after the event of an unprotected viewing of the sun. And some of the symptoms may last for months, and in severe cases may be permanent.”

Faulk said there is no known treatment for solar retinopathy.

He said during the phases of the eclipse, people should not stare at the sun for the entire duration of the event, even if wearing eclipse glasses, “We people to put the glasses on intermittently, take a look up at the eclipse, look away, take your glasses off, do what you’re doing, and in another moment in the phase of the eclipse, take another glimpse. These glasses are not meant to keep on during the whole entirety of the event staring at the sun.”

Faulk said the eclipse glasses should be worn on the outside of prescription eyeware. He said people should not look at the eclipse through binoculars, telescopes, or cameras as the lenses magnify the sun’s rays. Faulk also cautioned that chlidren be supervised during the event.

County Emergency Services Director Noel Guttman added that pets should be kept indoors during the solar eclipse as well.

Public Health Director Lacey Wilson said the glasses obtained by the county do meet independent ISO standards for solar eclipse viewing.

Businesses, organizations, and residents can obtain free solar eclipse glasses by emailing glasses@chqgov.com.

Distribution locations include the following:

Ashville Fire Department
5338 Stow Rd, Ashville, NY

Bemus Point Village Office
13 Alburtus Ave, Bemus Point, NY

Brocton Fire Department
80 Lake Ave, Brocton, NY

Brooks Memorial Hospital
529 Central Ave, Dunkirk, NY

Cassadaga Fire Department
22 Mill St, Cassadaga, NY

Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce
300 N Main St, Jamestown, NY

Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services
Mayville: 7 N. Erie St., First Floor, Mayville, NY
Jamestown: 107 Institute St., Suite 201 Jamestown, NY
Dunkirk: Dunkirk Senior Center, 45 Cliffstar Court, Dunkirk, NY

Chautauqua County Executive’s Office
3 N. Erie St., Mayville, NY

Chautauqua County Health Department
7 N. Erie St., Fourth Floor, Mayville, NY

Chautauqua County Jamestown Airport
3163 Airport Dr, Jamestown, NY

Chautauqua County Landfill
3889 Towerville Rd, Jamestown, NY

Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office
15 E Chautauqua St, Mayville, NY

CHQ Transit
234 Hopkins Avenue Jamestown, NY

Chautauqua County Veteran Services
567 Fairmount Ave., Warwick Plaza, Jamestown, NY

Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau
One Massey Avenue, Chautauqua, NY

County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency
201 W 3rd St. #115, Jamestown, NY
214 Central Ave, Dunkirk, NY

Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System

• Ashville Free Library
• Bemus Point Public Library
• Cassadaga Branch Library
• Clymer-French Creek Free Library
• Darwin R Barker Library Association
• Dunkirk Public Library
• Ellicottville Memorial Library
• Ellington Farman Library
•  Falconer Public Library
• Fluvanna Free Library
•  Hazeltine Public Library
• James Prendergast Library Association
• Kennedy Free Library
• Lakewood Memorial Library
• Mary E Seymour Memorial Free Library
• Mayville Library
• Minerva Free Library
• Myers Memorial Library
• Patterson Library
• Ripley Public Library
• Smith Memorial Library

Chautauqua Fire Department
2 Royal Way, Mayville, NY

Chautauqua Institution
1 Ames Ave, Chautauqua, NY

City of Jamestown
200 E 3rd St, Jamestown, NY

Dunkirk City Hall
338 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY

Ellery Fire Department
4400 Dutch Hollow Rd, Bemus Point, NY

Ellington Fire Department
769 E Main St, Ellington, NY

Falconer Fire Department
15 Davis St, Falconer, NY

Findley Lake Fire Department
10372 Main St, Findley Lake, NY

Fluvanna Community Historical Society
3502 Fluvanna Ave, Ellicott, NY

Fredonia Fire Department
80 W Main St, Fredonia, NY

Frewsburg Fire Department
88 W Main St, Frewsburg, NY

Hanover Center Fire Department
11919 Hanover Rd, Silver Creek, NY

Jamestown BPU
92 Steele St, Jamestown, NY

Jamestown Community College
525 Falconer St, Jamestown, NY

Kiantone Fire Department
2318 Stillwater St, Jamestown, NY

Maple Springs Fire Department
5385 Maple Springs-Ellery Rd, Maple Springs, NY

 Mayville Fire Department
2 Royal Way, Mayville, NY

Ripley Fire Department
11 S State St, Ripley, NY

Silver Creek Fire Department
172 Central Ave, Silver Creek, NY

Stockton Fire Department
28 Stockton-Kimball Stand Rd, Stockton, NY

Sunset Bay Fire Department
12798 Allegany Rd, Irving, NY

Town of Chautauqua
Chautauqua Municipal Building, 2 Academy St, Mayville, NY

Town of Clymer
868 W Main St, Clymer, NY

Town of Dunkirk
4737 Willow Rd, ​Dunkirk, NY

Town of Ellery
25 Sunnyside Ave, Bemus Point, NY

Town of Ellington Town Hall
813 W Main St, Ellington, NY

Town of Hanover / Silver Creek
Town Hall: 68 Hanover Rd., Silver Creek, NY
Village Hall: 172 Central Ave, Silver Creek, NY

Town of Harmony
1001 Blockville Watts Flats Road, Ashville NY

Town of Kiantone
1521 Peck Settlement Rd, Jamestown, NY

Town of Poland
3593 Church St., Kennedy, NY

Town of Portland
87 W Main St, Brocton, NY

Town of Villenova
1088 Butcher Rd, South Dayton, NY

Town of Westfield
23 Elm St, Westfield, NY

UPMC Chautauqua Hospital
207 Foote Ave, Jamestown, NY

Village of Falconer
101 W Main St, Falconer, NY

Village of Fredonia
9-11 Church St., Fredonia, NY

Village of Lakewood
20 W Summit St, Lakewood, NY