Having recently moved to Florida from Michigan, I’ve become increasingly concerned about the effects of ultraviolet rays on my eyes. You see, I have had the same sunglasses for ten years or so, which is no problem if the UV protection is inherent in the glass. But it might be time for new glasses if the UV protection was just a coating. Ten years of wiping might have removed it. Since the glasses are dark, my pupils must be enlarged and more vulnerable. Is the UV protection on or in my glasses? Is it different for new sunglasses? Has the quality of protection changed over the years? And lastly, when cheap plastic sunglasses say they offer UV protection, can they be trusted? Tell me, Cecil, how do I best protect my eyes in the Sunshine State?
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Sorry, babe. You’re in Florida now, home of Disney World, pink flamingos, and Miami Beach. You’ll be lucky if you don’t go blind.
You’re right to worry about UV. Due (probably) to the thinning ozone layer, UV-related health problems are skyrocketing. Look at Australia. The country has three strikes against it: it’s in the southern hemisphere, where the ozone layer is thinner; it gets a lot of strong sun because it’s close to the equator; and its high-risk Caucasian population is outdoors a lot. As a result Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. OK, we’re talking about eye problems now, not skin cancer, but they’re all related. Chances are we’ll be seeing increasing rates of cataracts, retinal and corneal damage, and other eye problems in years to come.
