Really…. wear sunglasses
Jul 19Dear Straight Talk: Your advice to wear sunglasses couldn’t be more right on. Recently you warned teenagers about the dangers of too much sun, not just for the skin, but for the eyes, too.
I strongly disliked sunglasses and for years refused to wear them, especially when speaking to another person. There is something about looking another human in the eye that was more important than “hiding” behind sunglasses.
I’ve just been diagnosed with pterygium, a “common” eye problem resulting from overexposure to UV rays. It is a fatty tissue that forms on the surface of the eye trying to protect the eye.
At this point, the condition is in the white of my eye and is both uncomfortable and unattractive. Even if I go through the process of having it scraped off and replaced with healthy eye tissue, there is a high chance of reoccurrence. In other words, fixing the condition isn’t a simple or sure-fire thing.
While my eye doctor, who is about my age, was telling me this, I said, “What’s that in your eye?” “The same thing,” she said. I’ve since noticed my younger brother has it, too.
I never knew how much I liked how my eyes looked until now that they don’t look so good. It’s not pretty. See for yourself at http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/Pterygium.asp.
I’m only 37, and for all you teens reading this, that isn’t very old.—Wear sunglasses!
Dear Sunglasses: It certainly isn’t. I appreciate you sharing your experience. You’ve put the word out like nobody else could.
Ultraviolet rays from the sun are reaching the earth in greater amounts than ever and wearing sunglasses outdoors, even when socializing, is the appropriate thing to do. Take them off briefly during introductions to make eye-contact but put them back on until you step indoors or into the shade.
Another solution is to buy lightly-tinted sunglasses that offer full UV protection, but allow your eyes to be seen.
