The New Product featured this week has a dual lens. The outside lens is a full-face shield, just like you see on other helmets. The other lens has a smoke tint and coating to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays. We know that UV radiation could cause skin cancer—that’s why we wear sunscreen.
But, according to the American Optometric Association—and they should know—even short-term exposure to too much UV radiation can cause photokeratitis. Symptoms of photokeratitis include red eyes, a sensation like having grit in the eye, extreme sensitivity to light, tearing, and even pain. Luckily, these symptoms go away.
But the longer you’re exposed to solar radiation, the more danger of cataracts or macular degeneration later in life. Cataracts can usually be removed surgically. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss and blindness among adults in the developed world.
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially at the beach, in the mountains, or skiing; if you live in the mountains; if you use a sunlamp or tanning parlor; if you’re a welder, or work making electronic circuit boards, or work in the graphic arts; if you’ve had cataract surgery; if you take prescription or over-the-counter drugs that increase your sensitivity to UV rays (ask your doctor or pharmacist) than you are at higher risk than most of harm. It’s even more important for you to shield your eyes from UV rays.
Yet, there’s no denying it: Unless you plan to ride exclusively around the Southern United States, you’ll face some chilly winters. And even before it...
