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WACO, Texas (KWTX) - People across Central Texas will be watching the skies on April 8th to witness the total solar eclipse.

Some may even try to capture the rare phenomenon using a phone or professional camera, but doing so without the proper protection can actually cause permanent damage.

According to photography expert, Andrew Church, most cameras work by enlarging the picture in the frame of your camera, focusing any light directly on its sensor.

However, when pointed directly at the sun, the ultraviolet rays will overwhelm and burn the sensor on any camera.

“It’s a little like looking at… burning a piece of paper with a magnifying glass,” Church explained.

Looking directly at the through an unfiltered camera can also cause irreversible eye damage by burning a person’s retina.

Dr. Randy Hartman, an emergency management specialist with Baylor Scott & White, explained that “any optical device that uses glass and lenses and mirrors, if that is pointed directly to the sun without any kind of filtering will number one, completely damage and destroy the equipment, and again is extremely harmful to your vision”.

Doctors recommend using an ISO certified solar filter during the eclipse to protect both your eyes and any sort of camera, but make sure to use it correctly.

“You have to make sure that the solar filter goes in front of the lens, meaning all light entering the camera has to be protected by the solar filter,” Dr. Hartman shared.

If the camera you are looking through is not properly filtered then you are at risk of damaging your eyes, even with special eclipse glasses.

As exciting as the upcoming total eclipse is, make sure to put your safety first and take the proper precautions if you plan to take pictures or videos of the eclipse.