Sport Today

It has been hypothesized that ultraviolet light induces cataracts in human
lenses.  Cataracts are cloudy formations in the lens that, if severe, will
require surgery to remove and restore clear vision.  Experiments on guinea
pigs done with UV absorbing contact lenses in one eye protected against
cataract formation where the other unprotected eye developed cataracts.

Light with wavelengths of 300nm and above can pass through the cornea and
reach the
lens. It is believed that light of 300-320nm can possibly be damaging to
the lens. (The lens acts as a filter protecting the retina from
light-induced damage; people who have their lenses removed (aphakic) are
more susceptible to retinal damage; that's why plastic lens implants have
UV absorbers added).

Another effect of the sun on your eyes is pterigium - abnormal growth of
cells on
the surface of the eye which can invade the cornea causing loss of vision
necessitating removal of the growth - caused by longtime sun exposure.

So how do we protect our eyes?  Certain researchers are skeptical of the
protection offered by common sunglasses.  Consider this:  common (nearly
flat)
sunglases may actually cause more harm than good.  Why?  The sum-shading
effect
causes the pupil to widen, allowing maximum light in so you can see and
don't
bump into walls with your sunglasses on.  Unfortunately, light can shine
in through the unprotected sides of your face and reflect directly into
your wide open pupil.  This is similar to (but not as severe as) looking
directly at a solar eclipse (the lack of a bright sky allows your pupils
to open wide giving the lens and retina a full blast of radiation).

Being on land on a bright sunny day is hard enough on your eyes, but being
on
the water is doubly dangerous (light reflects from the surface of the
water).
The wise sailor would be good to purchase the wrap-around type of
sunglasses
that filter ultraviolet light coming from all directions.  Keep them in a
good case in your car for driving to the beach, and then use a tight or
floatable croakie-thing so you don't donate them to the fish while
sailing.
Take care of your eyes, God only gave you two and they are fuzzy enough
already, right?  

Mike Giblin
fellow windsurfer in the Chesapeake Bay area.

    Well, while we are on this subject; does anyone have any recomendations as
to what kind of sun glasses mix well with windsurfing?  I currently and never
have used sunglasses and have been involved with water sports all of my
life. I supposed we are at greater risk than most.  Any thoughts and comments
are appreciated...

    \m/

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Rena Buchanan

--
                       tmk

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Graduate Student, UC Santa Cruz      \    Pray for waves

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(408) 252-5994 home                 ,----+--

    The brochure they sent me says they do 100% UVA/UVB protection -- I'm
undecided whether to buy the plain ones and get contacts (I've never tried
contacts) or get the prescription version ($249 -- geez!), or get another
pair of prescription Bolles like I lost two days ago. They are only
$110-125, plus $30 to get the prescription filled at K-Mart.

--
Harmon Seaver

We have found the Fountain of Youth in Asia!

I can recommend Gargoyles.  I have the mirrored version and they are
excellent for on-the-water use in terms of undistorted vision and
wrap-around protection.  For a local distributor, call their HQ at (206)
872-6100 in Kent, WA (also ask about their prescription availability if
any).

Mike Giblin (not a sales rep by any means)

--

SPSS Inc.
Chicago, IL USA

1. The latest Consumer Reports review of sunglasses couldn't find a pair
that didn't block out sufficient UV, regardless of price.

2. UV reflection from water is not great, unlike snow, which reflects
almost all of it.

3. Surely the light coming in from the sides of the lenses is less than 1%
of that that goes thru.

Sure, I wear sunglasses while sailing most of the time, but usually
polarized lenses so I can see thru the glare from the surface to see the
rocks, etc. we have to put up with here in New England.
--
Gerhard Sollner
MIT Lincoln Laboratory, B452
Lexington, MA 02173
617-981-7862 (fax 5328)

Al

    Does any company produces contact lenses using a material
    that blocks UV light?    Does this even make sense?

Prescription glasses can be ordered with a special coating to block UV.
I assume a coating process wouldn't be appropriate for contacts and
that it would have to be a property of the lens material.

Thanks,

        Glen

    Right, losing my $150 presriptiono Bolles last week was a real bummer.
But -- don't you have the same problem with contacts? I don't know, since
i've never tried contacts, but it would seem they might come out in the
water, or isn't that true? I suppose if you had your eyes closed, they
couldn't, and probably in falling you would automatically close your eyes.
  Someone mentioned "disposable" contacts --- never heard of them, what are
they, and how cheap?

--
Harmon Seaver

We have found the Fountain of Youth in Asia!

:     Right, losing my $150 presriptiono Bolles last week was a real bummer.
: But -- don't you have the same problem with contacts? I don't know, since
: i've never tried contacts, but it would seem they might come out in the
: water, or isn't that true? I suppose if you had your eyes closed, they
: couldn't, and probably in falling you would automatically close your eyes.

I wear my contacts almost all the time, in any watersport (except
swimming, wherein I usually wear goggles).  I've developed the "fall-in,
close eyes reflex" to avoid losing them.  It works pretty good, and
usually spray while I'm sailing doesn't knock the lenses out.  
Interestingly, for whatever reason, fresh water tends to knock them out a
lot easier than salt water.  I think it has something to do with the
drying action of salt water.  I've lost a couple of contacts at Sherman
Island over the years, but have never lost any in the Bay.

I'm open to suggestions on appropriate eyewear.  All this talk about
cataracts has got me scared.  I don't wear sunglasses now when sailing
because the first time they get wet my vision is impaired by water spots,
and launches/bails usually involve collecting the glasses in addition to
scrambling for rigs/boards/helmets etc...  Without sunglasses that's one
less thing to worry about (yes, I do use croakies/whatever when I do wear
them, it's just that particularly *** slams usually knock the eyewear
off too).

--

-shrEd
Ed Scott