Whether you are hitting the beach or working in your garden, there’s one essential safety precaution all medical experts support: wearing sunscreen. There’s a good reason for their persistence, too. According to the Melanoma Research Foundation, about 90 percent of this common skin cancer is caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays — and your eyes may be just as susceptible. Since rubbing sunscreen into your eyes is a dangerous and unrealistic option, wearing sunglasses is one of the wisest choices you can make to prevent the sun’s rays from leading to harmful and blinding diagnoses. Those same UV rays that can be so dangerous to your skin are soaked up by your eyes and can impact their functionality. Directly exposing your eyes to the sun increases your chance of developing cataracts — which appear as clouding in your eye — and macular degeneration. The later condition doesn’t just create cloudy vision; macular degeneration is a condition that causes you to go blind. Why Sunglasses Are the Best Accessories for Your Health More Than Fashion
of cataract diagnoses are caused by sun exposure and macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness. The best way to prevent these conditions is by wearing your sunglasses year-round — not just in the middle of summer. At Stirling Eyecare, we recommend patients use polarized sunglasses, which are more effective at blocking out those harmful rays from your eyes. The specialized composites of these sunglasses create little openings that only allow certain lightwaves in, which ultimately increase the user’s quality of vision and limits ray exposure. Because of this glare-cutting and high-definition technology, polarized sunglasses have become popular among those who fish and hunt, as their vision becomes crystal clear. But you don’t have to be an outdoorsman or fashion icon to wear sunglasses. Our wide selection of prescription and nonprescription sunglasses are designed to be affordable, durable, and useful.
Don’t spend another summer squinting. Learn how our experts can get you fitted for the perfect pair of sunglasses by calling (724) 285-2618.
These are the diagnoses you can’t just squint away, according to the National Eye Institute. The organization reports that 20 percent
Heroic Dads Who Didn’t Back Down Being a Parent Isn’t Always a Walk in the Park
Kids often look up to their father as one of their greatest heroes. There are the long drives to sports tournaments, the late-night movies, and the sweets when Mom isn’t looking. We probably all have some reason to look up to our dad as one of our biggest influences. It’s Father’s Day this month, a special time of year when we take a moment to think about the sacrifices the father figures in our lives have made for us. Most dads are pretty great, but some go above and beyond the fatherly call of duty. Let’s take a look at some heroic dads who risked everything to keep their families safe.
Just as he’d intended, Brad absorbed most of the blow. While Oscar sustained serious wounds, his father’s injuries were more severe. Brad was left fighting for his life in the ICU, with severe fractures to his skull and vertebrae. Thankfully, Brad is expected to make a full recovery and has made serious strides since the accident. He and his son will live to play another day.
Greg Alexander: Couldn’t Bear to See His Son Hurt
While camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June 2015, Greg Alexander awoke to the sound of a nightmare. The screams of his son intermingled with the roars of an unknown assailant, beckoning Greg to his son’s tent. There, he found his son Gabriel being attacked by a bear. The bear had his son by the head and was dragging him away. Greg jumped on the bear’s back, desperately trying to take attention away from Gabriel. Amazingly, it worked, and in the end, the bear ran away. Gabriel was left with serious cuts to his head, but thanks to his dad’s heroism, the two were able to walk away from that campsite and back to their lives together. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to take a leap of faith or fight a bear to be a hero in your family’s eyes. Just be yourself, show some support, and do the best you can. Happy Father’s Day, everybody.
Brad Lewis: Over the Ledge Life can change in a split second, and how you choose to react in a moment of peril can define your legacy forever. Few people know this as well as Brad Lewis. When Brad and his young son, Oscar, were deeply entrenched in an intense Nerf battle, he surely didn’t think the situation would turn as dangerous as it did. When a few darts missed his father and landed on the balcony, Oscar ran after them but soon found himself teetering on the balcony’s ledge, 12 feet above the ground. Thinking fast, Brad grabbed his son just before he fell over, both taking the plunge while Brad protected his son with his own body.
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