Daily Jots

“According to the Optical Laboratories Association (an eye-wear industry trade association), people go to the sunglasses counter with two questions in mind: “How will the glasses look?” and “Are they dark enough?” You do need to consider these things, but other concerns come into play as well.

Do sunglasses really protect your eyes?
Yes. Think of them as sunscreen for the eyes. They shield your eyes from wind, dust, and drying, as well as UV (ultraviolet) rays, visible light, and glare. Many experts think that lifetime exposure to UV helps cause cataracts and other eye disorders, though there is some controversy about just how much damage sunlight does, or what percentage of cataracts are caused by it. Blue light, part of the visible spectrum, may damage the retina and impair vision. It makes sense to protect your eyes. Bright sunlight and glare are unpleasant or even painful, and can be hazardous if you are driving or playing a sport. ”

It’s the cataracts that scare me. When I was little and having my eyes checked, I’m sure that I heard the optomotrist state that I will have cataracts when I’m older. I don’t know why he would say that or if I completely dreamed it up, but it has always been in the back of my mind.

And now my mother (for the past few years) has been going through laser surgery to remove them. It seems that they might be running in the family. But, if I can do something to prevent them or slow them down, I’m all for it. That’s why I have been ordering my sunglasses along with my prescription pair that I use for distance.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 11th, 2007 at 6:34 am and is filed under Aging, Health, Shopping. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.