By Adam Woodward • Updated: 11 Aug 2026 • 15:35 • 3 minutes readEx-MP Mercedes López Romero warns against eclipse stare. Credit: MLR FBSpanish former politician Mercedes López Romero has sounded a clear alarm just days before the total solar eclipse due on Wednesday. López Romero, now 45 and a trained physiotherapist, lost 90 per cent of her sight after staring at the sun during an eclipse when she was only eight. Her story arrives at a moment when shops across Spain and the rest of Europe are struggling to keep certified eclipse glasses in stock. The images below are of citizens of Salamanca queuing to get free eclipse glasses from the local council.