On August 11, 1999, a total solar eclipse crossed northern France along a 100-kilometer-wide path. The eclipse was partial across the rest of the country. Since observing a solar eclipse without adequate protection can cause serious retinal burns, the Directorate General for Health issued a circular detailing the risks involved and the recommended protective measures. Prevention messages were disseminated, and more than 30 million approved glasses were distributed. To assess the impact of these measures, the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, in collaboration with the Sentinelle Urgences Network, anonymously surveyed 54,000 French ophthalmologists and 500 emergency departments regarding eye complications related to eclipse viewing, using a standardized questionnaire. In total, 147 patients with retinal damage were reported. Seventeen had severe damage (visual acuity < 2/10), including 7 with bilateral damage. Thirty-nine percent of patients were aged 15–29, and 51% were located in three regions of southern France—areas with high sunlight exposure—at the time of observation. One hundred and six patients (57% aged 30 and older) presented with reversible superficial punctate keratitis, 36% of which occurred in two regions of northern France with heavy cloud cover. One hundred patients viewed the eclipse with the naked eye, 74 removed their approved glasses, and 32 used inadequate protective measures. Only 4 patients with retinopathy reported that they had always viewed the eclipse with approved glasses. France is the only country to have implemented prospective surveillance of ocular complications related to eclipse viewing. According to current data, the observed ocular injuries do not appear to be related to poor-quality glasses or their unavailability. (R.A.)