“I Told You Sunglasses Are Bad For You!”

The following conversation has been repeated numerous times over the last three weeks.

Colson: “These sunglasses hurt my eyes. Just the littlest bit of sunlight bothers them now. Even sun coming through the window shades in the house. I am not wearing them anymore.”

Me: “Oh, come on. You have been wearing sunglasses since you were born. That is how they sent us home from the hospital in Florida – wearing sunglasses. You’ll get cataracts like Grandpa some day if you stop wearing your sunglasses.”

Colson: “I don’t care. My eyes are too sensitive when I wear them. I will have an operation.”

Me: “You need to wear your sunglasses.”

How many times did we have that conversation until I got it? Too many. Finally, Colson said this: “The Native Americans didn’t wear sunglasses and their eyes were fine.” That stopped me in my tracks. I don’t know the cataracts rate of Native Americans before they were victimized by the Standard American Diet, but yeh, it was worth investigating.

Colson came up with this gem on our way to the Farmers Market this morning, where we usually see our Dr. of Oriental medicine, and sure enough we saw him today. Colson asked him if sunglasses were good or bad because Native Americans didn’t wear them. Our doc said “It depends. It depends on the type of sunglasses and when you wear them.” Our doc only wears them when it is hazy outside. I am not sure why – it must have something to do with reflection/refraction in hazy conditions. Our doc also said that cataracts are not caused by the sun – they are caused by diet. In fact, our eyes are nourished by sunlight and sunglasses prevent some of that nourishment from reaching us.

Colson’s response? “I TOLD YOU SO! SUNGLASSES ARE BAD FOR YOU!!! SEE??? SEE!!!!”

He gleefully removed his sunglasses and has been celebrating that he has bested me all day. Just wait until his Papa gets home – he is in for it too.

I came home and did some research. I learned that if the sunglasses are not quality UV blockers (whatever that means), then eyes are at greater risk for UV damage, including cataracts. With sunglasses on, the pupils are unnaturally wide because of the darkness caused by the glasses, thus allowing more UV in than if the person did not wear sunglasses and causing more damage. I have no clue about the quality of Colson’s glasses, but given that he was complaining about them I bet it isn’t great.

And what about diet? This article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that a high carb diet is linked to early onset of cataracts: "Carbohydrate intake and glycemic index in relation to the odds of early cortical and nuclear lens opacities." Many sources say that high antioxidant levels help to prevent or cure cataracts.

I went to Pub Med and searched for more journal articles – and there are a lot of them. High milk and meat intake are linked to cataracts, for example.

Many studies are flawed, however, as highlighted in this article: Lies, Damned Lies and Medical Science. There is another person, a reporter I believe, who has uncovered vast flaws in medical research, but his name escapes me. I am not putting that much weight on the Pub Med articles.

That takes me back to Colson’s point – Native Americans didn’t wear sunglasses and didn’t suffer cataracts. Based on an internet search it seems that modern indigenous people are more likely to develop cataracts than non-indigenous people. That still doesn’t tell us about the eye health of early indigenous people. Did diet reduce their cataracts rates? I saw one report of Native Americans conducting cataracts surgery in the early 1500s, but who knows how reliable that is or the rate it was needed in their population? According to Wikipedia, the first cataracts surgery was performed in India in the 6^th century BCE.

I have searched for cataract surgery rates, cataract frequency, historical cataract rates and more. I haven’t found data that are comparable between centuries or decades. This study on Pub Med provides good reasoning regarding why data between eras are not comparable: Prevalence of major eye diseases among US Civil War veterans, 1890 - 1910.

I am at a standstill now. I haven’t looked in the right places to get the information I am seeking, or it doesn’t exist or it isn’t comparable. We eat so darn well that if diet and low levels of oxidized particles are important, then we are in good shape. I am going to ask my doc for more guidance regarding why sunglasses are rarely needed and would appreciate any feedback others may have. In the meantime, Colson is not wearing his sunglasses.

Comments

[Maria Droujkova]

I think we only need to wear sunglasses when there are unusually bright conditions. For example, if we are in the snow up in the mountains. I don't own sunglasses.

However, some people use them for working tasks. For example, if you drive toward the sun for hours, you can't turn away.

Colson has an interesting argument going! I think cataracts exist worldwide, though. Because I read about an Indian guy who developed an $15 method for removing them (a sort of human conveyor-belt surgery, with minimal prep and simplified procedures), and goes around the world doing it.

[Jennifer]

There is also some evidence floating around that suggests wearing sunglasses can contribute to skin damage from the sun. The thought is that the eyes play a part in signaling the body to produce melanin. Wearing sunglasses would hinder this. The hazy conditions your practitioner mentioned might also trick the eye. I found this info when researching the decision to buy my infant sunglasses for the beach.

[Laura Combs]

Thanks, ladies! I just started waffling on my sunglasses and wore them yesterday. I do squint some without them, but my eyes don't hurt. They are staying off unless at the beach.

Thanks again!