Are sunglasses good for you?
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| image by Flickr, Bot (Magnus Manske) |
We have been told over and over that ultraviolet radiation is bad for our health and we must take precautions when we are exposed to sunlight. Sunglasses, sunscreens, protective light clothing and hats are considered the norm to prevent sunburn, skin cancer, cataracts and other eye diseases. However, we are also told that sunlight gives us essential vitamin D, prevents depression, such as SAD (Seasonal Attentive Disorder), lowers blood pressure, benefits the brain and nervous system, and is good for the treatment of some skin disorders and arthritis. Chronic ultraviolet deprivation has also been shown to cause hyperactivity, lack of concentration and violence in school children.
As with food, it is the quality of light, or its qi, that is important to our health. Absorbing sunlight devoid of its natural ultraviolet energy is just as bad as eating food that has lost its living enzymes. Global air pollution has caused less full-spectrum light to reach us directly on earth and, in addition, we are spending more and more time in artificial light. Any kind of glass, such as is used for window panes, car windshields, eyeglasses both clear and tinted, contact lenses or sunglasses, filters out ultraviolet rays. Scientists of heliotherapy maintain that we need at least ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure to limbs and torso without using sunscreen a few times a week. So what about our eyes? They will naturally squint and irises will contract to narrow pupils in order to protect them in bright sunlight. This reduces the intensity of the sunlight entering our eyes to a level we can tolerate without cutting out any part of the spectrum.
Taoist masters of ancient China recognized that sunlight had medical benefits. Documents dating back thousands of years mention exposing the naked body and eyes to direct sunlight for a short period of time to absorb healing solar energy. They developed eye exercises which involve looking at the sun to receive its nourishing qi for health and vitality and resistance to disease. If you wish to try the following exercises for yourself, please remember to do them only before 9 am or after 4 pm when the sun is not so intense. Note that, as with everything in Oriental Medicine, balance and moderation are the key. A brief but daily exposure of the eyes to natural sunlight may benefit our system.
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Stand or sit outside on a bright sunny day, when the sun is not covered by clouds or a haze. Do not wear glasses of any kind, or contact lenses. Close your eyes and tilt your head toward the sun. Aim your eyes about 10-15 degrees above the sun, not directly at it. Open your eyes quickly and blink as fast as you can for about 3 seconds. Close your eyes and look away for a brief rest. Then repeat, this time aiming the eyes about 10-15 degrees below the sun. Close eyes and rest again. Repeat two more times, once with eyes to the left of the sun, then with eyes to the right of the sun. This ensures all parts of the retina have even exposure to the beneficial UV rays without looking directly at the sun. Do the whole exercise once or twice each session. Perform one session daily if desired.
Note: At first your eyes may throb or water a little after performing the above exercises. This is normal, due to atrophy in the eye muscles caused by lack of qi to the eyes. This should go away after a week or two of practice. If not, stop the exercises and have your eyes checked.
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